


Everlong

by Humble_wats



Category: Amar a Muerte (TV)
Genre: F/F, Falling In Love, Fluff, GAY MESS, Gay Panic, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:34:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 46,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22265689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Humble_wats/pseuds/Humble_wats
Summary: Valentina is a journalist with a painful past. Juliana appears and suddenly, life doesn't seem so hard anymore.
Relationships: Valentina Carvajal/Juliana Valdés
Comments: 144
Kudos: 709





	1. History

“Where to, Miss?” Alirio called as he slung his seatbelt over his shoulder and buckled in. 

Valentina looked up and caught his friendly eyes in the rear-view mirror. She smiled and gave him the address of the warehouse downtown. 

Valentina let herself be rocked back and forth with the motion of the car as Alirio pulled away from the curb. She took a deep breath and finally relaxed. She felt suffocated in those meetings, but she knew it was important she was there so she sucked it up and attended. She watched as building after building passed slowly before her eyes. They were on the other side of the city to where she needed to go and the traffic was horrendous. It was going to be a long trip. 

She glanced down at the bronze coin in her hand, her fingers tracing over the number three embellished in the center of the metal circle. She sighed and closed her eyes, her head resting on the seat behind her as she let her mind delve into the past. After each of these meetings, she makes a point of recalling her former years. For a long time she had tried to forget, tried to avoid reminiscing on the darkest times of her life. It hurt to do so, so she simply didn’t. But her therapist had encouraged her to do exactly what she had worked so hard to block out, informing her that our history is a part of us, and when we remember our hardships and struggles and our eventual recovery, it serves to only make us stronger. 

Pain fills her chest as she remembers her father’s funeral. It was the catalyst for all of this, so she embraces the memory. Tears prickle at her eyes as she remembers her father’s strong embrace, his kind eyes and his cheeky demeanor. And it all spiraled from that fateful day when Leon Carvajal dropped dead from a heart attack, leaving all three siblings without a parent. It had a different affect on all three of them. Eva Carvajal, the eldest, threw herself into work at Group Carvajal and therefore distanced herself from her siblings. Guille, Valentina’s older brother, chose to travel the world, to remove himself from Mexico for a while. Valentina was 19 at the time and attending college. She stayed in Mexico City in the aftermath of her beloved fathers death, but her life took a sharp turn down a dark road very quickly. Without any strong support networks around her, she fell into depression, leaning on drugs and alcohol to numb the pain of the loss and abandonment she felt. Lucho, her boyfriend at the time, was more than happy to provide the escape Valentina searched for. He supplied her with the alcohol and drugs her body so craved, and took her to as many parties as they could attend. Valentina knew deep down what she was doing was wrong, that it wasn’t helpful, but the only people who had stuck around long enough were the ones who were encouraging this kind of behavior, so she continued. 

Her life became a blur of parties, sex, drugs and alcohol. She failed her semester at University and had a pregnancy scare. Lucho had finally grown tired of her escapades and left her after she told him that she wasn’t even sure it was his. The press hounded her, relentless in the pursuit of snapping a shot of the broken Carvajal Princess. And Valentina didn’t make it difficult to do so. She was often pictured stumbling around out the front of various clubs, different men on her arm each night. Eva would call her, reprimanding her, demanding she stop this juvenile behavior. But Eva failed to give Valentina what she so desperately needed: healthy attention and support. Her brash attitude and severe requests fell on deaf ears as Valentina continued to spiral out of control. 

And then it happened. She hit rock bottom. Finally. She knew it when she woke up in a hospital bed with Guille and Sergio by her side. Guille told her he cut his trip short when he got a call from Sergio. Her oldest friend had found her passed out in an alleyway behind one of the clubs they frequented and he had immediately called an ambulance while Guille boarded the next plane home. Guille broke the news to her softly, that she’d overdosed and almost died, and she cried in his arms. She was broken, lost, hopeless. She’d lost her tether on the world and it had crumbled around her. 

The day before her release from the hospital, Guille told her what was going to happen. The next day, when the hospital discharged her, he was going to drive her to the best rehabilitation facility in the country. They cried together this time, sharing the pain and loss they felt deep in their bones. Valentina didn’t put up a fight. She knew she needed help, and with Guille finally home, she desperately wanted to find the courage to mend herself. So she went willingly, and worked hard at herself over the course of a year, emerging at 21 completely clean and with a new lease on life. 

Valentina’s release from rehab was widely publicized. She kept her head down and moved back into the Carvajal mansion with Guille and his new girlfriend, Renata. She went back to University, finishing what she started and graduated with a Journalism degree. They had a quiet, alcohol free party back at the mansion to celebrate with Eva, her husband Mateo, Guille, Renata and Sergio. It was the first time in a long time she felt the spark of her previous self. With Eva and Guille’s support, she moved into her rightful place at the Carvajal Group, writing for their newspaper and magazine. 

At 23, Valentina once more felt the sharp dagger of death rip through her. Sergio was involved in a car accident and didn’t survive his injuries. She wept for him at his funeral, and found herself stumbling into a liquor store on her way home. The clear liquid and its familiar burn were a brief relief from the suffering, and before long, the bottle dropped from her grasp as she fell into oblivion, curled into the fetal position on the lounge in the Carvajal mansion living room. 

The next day, Guille loaded her into his car and drove her back to the rehabilitation facility. Valentina spent the next six months pulling herself back together, re-learning techniques and strategies and building her resilience up once again. The feeling of disappointment ate away at her while stuck behind the white, sterile walls of the facility. She focused her energy on something good, and the idea for a charity, a foundation supporting others sparked a new kind of determination inside of her. Something she could do for herself, in memory of her parents. 

Her release couldn’t come quick enough, and the air had a certain sweet smell about it when she skipped to Guille’s car on the day she was discharged. 

It had been over two years now, and Valentina was stronger than ever. She worked tremendously hard to turn her life around. She spent the past two years building new foundations for a successful life. She established her own charity, The Bright Spark Foundation, and she continued to apply herself with diligence as a journalist for her family’s company. It felt good, contributing to society in a positive and meaningful way. And over time, she gradually changed the country’s opinion of her from a broken orphan and party girl to hard working journalist and philanthropist.

At the age of 26, Valentina Carvajal was three years sober and she finally felt like her life was back on track.

The opening of her car door startled Valentina out of her haze. 

“I’m sorry, Miss. Here we are.” He offered his hand to her, and she took it graciously as she slung her bag over her shoulder and pocketed her phone. 

“Thank you, Alirio.” She offered him a smile as she walked past him towards a somewhat derelict looking building. 

As Valentina approached the large roller door serving as the entrance, she could see bright flashes of light bursting from large umbrella like devices in the center of the warehouse. She could see people scattered about the cavernous room, some standing behind monitors while others fiddled with clothing off a rack or rushed around with clipboards and headsets. 

Angel was standing by a large fake tree in front of an elaborate forest backdrop. He was wearing a ridiculous white suit bedazzled with large crystal-looking rocks and a black wide brim hat. He was pretending to strum on a guitar while posing for the camera. The clicks and calls for him to change position added to the rest of the noise in the room, everything seeming to echo around and bounce off the concrete, amplifying the small discussions had by workers on the outskirts of the shoot. 

“Oh, you made it.” Luana, her assistant walked towards her and thrust a disposable cup of coffee in her hand. “I thought you might need this.” 

“Thanks.” She replied, taking a sip, her eyes almost rolling back into her head as the caffeine hit her. “How’s it all going here?” 

“Everything is on track.” Luana flipped the page over on her clipboard. “He’s in his second costume now, so we have another two changes to go.” 

“Great.” 

“I’ve got to go and speak to make up. He should be done around 4pm if you wanted to catch him.” Luana turned and walked briskly towards the brightly lit mirrors on the left. 

Valentina took another long sip of her coffee and slowly made her way towards a monitor not currently occupied by anyone else. She watched as image after image was transmitted from the camera currently clicking away to the screen in front of her. As she watched, she mulled over the article she had written about the up and coming musician. It was going to print once the photos had been selected and edited. She hoped the different themes of each outfit accurately reflected the atmosphere of what she’d tried to create. She didn’t really have the time to sit down and amend the article. 

A sudden quietness took over the space and her ears pricked up at the sound of a voice cutting through, snapping her out of her thoughts. 

Valentina looked up to spot a woman holding the camera. She was immediately taken aback for two reasons. She knew she booked Marco for the job, and this woman was certainly not Marco. But aside from that, the woman holding the camera was utterly breathtaking, and it was not lost on Valentina. Her long dark hair had a delicate wave to it as the woman in question flicked it behind her shoulders. She was wearing dark jeans, black boots and a plain white shirt under a beige jacket. It was a simple outfit but the way the jeans hugged her curves made Valentina’s blood rush. She watched in awe as the woman moved around the area, pointing and directing Angel to move a certain way or try a different pose. 

She couldn’t help but take a few steps forward, dropping her now empty coffee cup into the trash absentmindedly. Her mind was completely taken hostage by the woman in front of her. Valentina stopped and stood by a table, not wanting to get too close and draw attention to herself. She knew she was staring, but she couldn’t help but continue to watch the scene in front of her. There were people bustling around, running forward to tuck in a part of Angel’s shirt that had freed itself, to reapply his makeup, or to move a prop into a new position. It seemed everyone was under this woman’s spell as the workers complied with her requests immediately. But Valentina noticed quickly how kind her disposition was, always punctuating her requirements with manners, a smile happily featured on her face. She was patient, and gave direction with distinct clarity, leaving no confusion as to what she wanted. Valentina was completely entranced with the way she moved and spoke, an air of confidence and competence enveloping those around her and sucking everyone in. She was magical.

“There you are!” 

Valentina was completely startled by the voice in her ear and the fingers jabbing into her sides. She reacted accordingly, jumping and turning at the same time. In the process, she knocked the small table next to her and it came crashing down. 

“Fuck.” She breathed out, exasperated. It took about one second for her to realize Guille had crept up behind her and the smirk on his face told her he was pretty chuffed with the reaction it caused. 

“Guille. Jesus.” Valentina groaned as she bent down and started picking up the equipment she had knocked over. Guille lifted the small table and stood it back on its stand as Valentina fumbled with the various sized boxes and lanyards now scattered on the ground. She placed some of the items back on the table and resumed gathering the last few pieces.

She felt someone squat down next to her and begin to help.

“I’m so sorry. I hope I didn’t break anything. Sorry.” She began rambling, now feeling the weight of embarrassment as she noticed the sudden lack of noise reverberating around the space. Everyone must be watching. She refused to make eye contact, focusing on the task at hand. 

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” 

Valentina looked up in surprise at the voice. She found the same woman she was staring at earlier smiling at her. The woman was even more disarming up close. Her deep brown eyes were cut into an almond shape and were complimented by perfect dark eyebrows. Her full lips framed bright white teeth and her skin was clear and smooth. Not only that, but she smelt amazing. The woman continued to pick up the last few items as Valentina attempted to gather her thoughts, unable to rip her eyes away from the woman. Her throat felt constricted and she wondered where the hell all the air went in the room. 

After what seemed like an eternity, the woman stood and gently placed the last few boxes back onto the table and held out her hand for Valentina. Her mind was failing her. She shook her head slightly as her brain registered that she was still crouched down, looking up in bewilderment. She slowly took the strangers hand, immediately noticing the warm, soft hold she had. Once Valentina was standing upright, the woman let go, but her eyes continued to bore in to hers, a smile still playing on her lips. 

A deliberate clearing of a throat snapped Valentina out of her trance, and her head whipped around to see Guille standing close by, observing the interaction with a ridiculous look on his face. Valentina felt her face begin to burn, her brain still unable to process exactly what was going on. 

She clumsily dropped the last few things onto the table and apologized again.

“It’s really not a problem.” The woman chuckled as she responded. 

Valentina was completely mesmerized. And very, very confused. 

She swallowed and nodded her head imperceptibly. 

“Sorry. I’ve got to…” Valentina took two steps backwards and pointed towards the exit. 

She watched a look of amusement cross the woman’s features as she turned to Guille, taking another step, grabbing him firmly around his arm and directing him outside of the warehouse. 

“Christ, Vale. You don’t have to be so rough. Damn.” He grumbled as she pulled him behind her, her long strides helping them to reach the exit quickly. She let go of him when they reached the street and she stopped and took in a deep breath. 

“What was that about?” 

Valentina looked at her brother, understanding the quirk of his eyebrow and the playful tone of voice. He was rubbing his elbow where her grip had been. 

She had no answer. She didn’t know what the hell just happened herself. But, now that she was away from that woman, she was able to get a hold on her thoughts. She kept her cool and leveled her gaze at him. 

“What do you mean?”

Guille threw his head back and barked one, singular laugh. “Yeah, okay. Let’s play that game.” 

“What are you doing here anyway, Guille?” She softened her tone and hoped he would go along with her change of subject. 

Guille rolled his eyes but played along. “I wanted to check in on my little sister. How did the meeting this morning go?”

Valentina took in a deep breath and regarded her brother seriously. They were no longer joking around. He had always been her biggest supporter, and she knew he still felt guilty over leaving her alone after their father’s death. She didn’t hold it against him. They both had to grieve, and they did that in their different ways. At least he had come back. 

“Let’s talk about it over a coffee.” She said as she stepped forward and looped her arm in her brothers and began walking them down the street in search of a café.


	2. Charmed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An article is written about Valentina, accompanied by a photo shoot.

Valentina sat at her desk with her head in her hands, her heel tapping incessantly on the wooden floor beneath her. She’d been struggling with her focus lately, and it was extremely frustrating. Those frustrations were magnified by the fact that she knew exactly what it was that had her so distracted. She didn’t want to admit it, but she was unable to get the photographer off her mind. The most baffling thing was how overwhelming it felt. She had never experienced anything like it before. She was brought up a Carvajal, a name that goes hand in hand with the ability to work a room, to make conversation even when it’s hard, to socialize in all contexts. Valentina was taught at a young age how to start and hold any conversation, and with that grew a confidence in all social situations. Never once had she faltered at her words, or had her words completely escape her. 

Her behavior at the photo shoot was completely out of character, and it had her rattled. As she tossed and turned in bed at night, she wondered what it was about the woman that had her so captivated, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She had tried to forget, but she found herself scrolling through the staff archives in the system, attempting to find the name of the woman. When she looked up the job that she had booked for Angel, there was a note next to Marco’s name. Initials. “JV”. Her vexations had only grown at the revelation, unable to find a whole name anywhere. 

A loud ringing pierced her daydream and she almost fell off her chair as her phone continued its obnoxious buzzing. She clutched at her chest as she answered.

“Hola.” 

“Vale, I need you in my office now, please.” 

It was Eva. Typical of her demanding nature, she didn’t give Valentina an opportunity to respond. Before Valentina could open her mouth to speak, Eva had hung up. 

She ran her hands over her face and through her hair before standing up and trudging her way to Eva’s office. In the time it took to reach Eva’s door, she had come up with five different arguments for why her work ethic was lacking lately, none of which she thought Eva would believe or care to hear. They were weak and not true and she knew Eva would see right through her. She prayed her sister would go easy on her as she approached. The office door was open and her assistant gestured politely for her to enter. 

Eva sat at her desk, hunched over some papers. She took off her glasses as Valentina slumped dramatically into her seat. 

“You needed to see me?” Valentina spoke nonchalantly.

“No greetings? Straight to business, hey?” Eva smirked.

Valentina scrunched her face up. “Says the one who just hung up on me.” 

Eva rolled her eyes and pulled her chair in closer to her desk, sitting up straighter. She clasped her hands in front of her and looked directly at Valentina. 

Valentina always felt like she was being analyzed under the gaze of her older sister, the piercing green often fierce and intimidating. Eva was beautiful, her skin a darker shade than Valentina’s, her height slighter shorter. She had thick brown hair and a stunning complexion. Valentina surmised her natural good looks had probably inadvertently made Eva work even harder to be the best at her job. The competition had occasionally printed stories about how Evangelina Carvajal was at the top by default, that she didn’t deserve or wasn’t capable of running any company, let alone a media empire. Those people will never know the sacrifice, strength and tenacity it took for Eva to make her way to the top, only taking on CEO of Group Carvajal two years previous after earning it. 

“Vale. We want to do a story, an expose, on you.”

Valentina couldn’t help her mouth from dropping slightly in surprise. The prospect was a little absurd. With a history of bad press, Valentina worked hard to keep herself out of the papers.

“Me? Why?” She scoffed.

Eva offered her a small smile. The sisters had gone through their tough times, not always seeing eye-to-eye, not always supporting or being there for one another. But they had grown past that now, and get along reasonably well. Valentina has always suspected Eva is jealous of her relationship with their brother, but they have matured past any petty arguments about that now. They have found a good place in their relationship and Valentina is appreciative of it. 

“You know what anniversary is coming up. You know what our competitors do around this time of the year. They dig up every negative story about the three of us they can find, just to remind the public and our shareholders of our rocky history.” Eva sighs, picking up a pen and fidgeting with it. “We all take papa’s anniversary pretty hard. This year, instead of it being something we have to get through, I want to focus on something positive.” 

Valentina sinks back into her chair and continues to watch Eva as she speaks. 

“With your charity’s first Black Tie Ball coming up, I thought it might be nice to write a companion piece on you. You’ve been doing so well Vale, and we want to celebrate that.” Eva shrugged her shoulders, her eyes softening. “We want to saturate the market with positivity, with how well we are doing, before anyone can get in with the negative. What do you think?”

Valentina huffed out a breath and raised her eyebrows. “Are you serious?” 

Eva laughed through her nose and leant back in her chair, relaxing slightly. “Yes, Vale. You know I’m not very good with jokes.”

Valentina smiled and chewed on the inside of her lip, considering Eva’s proposal. 

“Please?” Eva tone is almost begging, something she has never seen her sister do before. 

Her decision is easy. “Sure, Eva. I’ll do it.”

Eva’s smile takes over her whole face as she gets up and embraces Valentina. 

“It’ll be great, Vale. I promise.” She breathes into Valentina’s hair. “Daniel will write the article. He’s an excellent writer and very trustworthy. You’ll meet with him tomorrow at 2pm, and then you’ll have a photo shoot at 6pm.” Eva was sitting back at her desk now, regarding Valentina seriously. “Are you okay with all of that?” 

Valentina balked. “Photo shoot? Who is the photographer?” 

Eva frowned slightly. “Strange question, but I’ve booked Marco. Does that work for you?” 

Valentina nodded as she played with her fingers. “Yeah. Sure. Whatever you like.”

“Alright. Well, if we’re sorted, I’ve got to get back to work.” Eva slid her glasses back onto her face. “Thanks, Vale.” 

Valentina gave her one last smile and left her sister alone. 

******

“I think that’s about all I need, Valentina.”

The interview had gone for about 30 minutes, and Daniel had flirted with Valentina for about 25 of those minutes. Valentina was used to it, and she could handle herself. She smiled when Daniel provided a compliment, she laughed when he made a joke and she spoke kindly to him, just as she was taught. Internally, Valentina was counting down the minutes until she could get out of the stuffy room. 

She didn’t know what it was about the situation that was so unsettling, but she felt uncomfortable. And when he reached forward to place a hand on her knee, it was obvious she was not interested. Without thinking, she jerked away from his touch, her expression turning from one of polite tolerance to disgust. It was only a moment, but the man caught it. 

“Sorry.” He uttered, unable to make eye contact. He began packing away his papers, clicking his pen and placing it hastily back into his jacket pocket. 

For a moment, Valentina observed the man. He was quite handsome. He sported a well-groomed hair cut and a clean shaven face. He looked quite fit and he had a nice smile, complimenting his dark features. She estimated him to be about 30 years old and he was exactly the type of man she would usually be interested in. She was shocked to notice that she was not. 

Daniel was clearly flustered and was beginning to stand when she got a hold of her thoughts. She reached out, placing a hand on his forearm. 

“Please. Stop.” She used her most gentle voice.

He sat back in his chair and looked at her. 

“I’m sorry. I’m just not…” She paused. 

“Interested?”

Valentina smirked at the man. He looked sheepish. 

“Please don’t take this the wrong way. I’m just not good for anyone right now. In any capacity.”

She didn’t know why she said that. In some senses, it was true. She certainly had demons and lots of emotional baggage, something that she knew would be a lot to unload on a person. But she was mostly just bored with dating. She’d gone on multiple dates since her last bout of rehab, and she found all of the men to be too self-absorbed. All they wanted to talk about was their own work, how amazing they were at their lives and in their professions, and then seemed disinterested when they finally asked about her. They had shared a nice meal or two, made polite conversation, but she never connected emotionally with them beyond the superficial. A few times she had gone home with them, but the sex turned out to be just as it was every other time; mediocre. Most of the time it felt good, but she thought that maybe it was just human contact she craved. It felt good, but that it was. It wasn’t the amazing, mind-blowing, earth-shattering sex she had expected, or that she had grown to understand was normal in adult relationships. She never had that, and no longer believed that kind of intense intimate connection with another person existed. It had been 8 months since her last date, and a year since the last time she had slept with anyone. She was perfectly content to keep it that way. Dating could get messy, especially if the press got involved, and the effort it took to get to know someone new and maintain interest was just something she couldn’t fathom right now. She wasn’t sure she ever would. 

“I understand.” Daniel offered her a polite smile, picked up his things and left the room. 

She closed her eyes and threw her head back, sliding down in the chair. A pair of brown eyes and a flash of a genuine smile gazed back at her. 

“Get a grip, Valentina.” She told herself, picking up her own papers and making her way back to her office. 

*****

Valentina arrived at the address Eva gave her promptly at 5pm. She had been here before. It was a quaint little café. The walls were lined with books and the décor was reminiscent of an old bookstore, with antique chairs and rickety tables. The courtyard area at the back of the café was large and full of greenery and an array of colorful flowers and plants. It was a very trendy location, with many tags on Instagram as the public took posed photos in front of the retro sign out the front. 

Luana greeted her as Alirio helped her out of the car. 

“Right on time, boss. We have hair and makeup first. Come with me.” Luana took her bag and held the door to the café open for her. Valentina stepped through and was welcomed with the delicious scent of fresh coffee and old books. To her right there was a brightly lit mirror and a dressing table covered with all kinds of makeup and hair accessories. Four women stood around the space, rummaging through bags and clicking cases of eye shadow shut. They all turned when Valentina entered and Luana introduced them quickly as her hair and makeup team. Valentina smiled politely at them and took a seat in front of the mirror. The women quickly descended on her, pulling and prodding and poking at her hair and face. Valentina closed her eyes and let her mind go blank as they worked.

Luana talked as the women bustled around, discussing with her the look Eva wanted to go for, explaining the outfits she would be wearing and gushing over why the location was such a fantastic choice. Finally, the team of four stepped back and Luana gasped. 

“You look beautiful, Valentina.” 

And Valentina couldn’t help but smile at her reflection. She was often complimented on her natural beauty, but she habitually found it difficult to see beyond her internal scars, viewing herself as tainted before anything else. But she felt good about herself in this moment. Her eyes were rimmed with a simple but dark outline, her cheekbones were highlighted and her lips were a soft pink. Her hair was left down but had been given waves that fell down to her breasts.

“I mean, more beautiful than usual.” Luana laughed, standing. “Come on, we’re starting out the back.” 

Valentina stood and thanked the hair and make up people, before following Luana down a short corridor and into a small room that Valentina assumed was a storeroom for the café. There was a rack of four outfits hanging and Luana grabbed the first coat hanger and thrust it into her hands. 

“This is the first one. Put it on and we’ll see you in the courtyard. Juliana is waiting there for you.”  
Luana turned and started closing the door. With her hands full, she stuck her foot in the door, preventing it from closing. Luana looked at her quizzically. 

“Juliana. Who is that?” Valentina asked but she thinks she already knows. 

“The new photographer.”

“I thought Marco was taking the photos.” 

“He’s still sick so she’s filling in for him. Is everything okay?” Luana quirked her head up in concern.

Valentina just nodded and moved her foot so Luana could close the door. 

“Shit.” Valentina mumbled under her breath. 

Valentina looked around the small, dimly lit storeroom and took a deep breath. She’d done photo shoots plenty of times before, mostly when she was a teenager before everything went to shit. She knows how they work but she was suddenly quite nervous. Her hands were trembling slightly and the thought of facing the woman she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about made her heart rate increase. 

She closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing, taking air in through her nose and out through her mouth, a technique she learned in rehab to calm herself down. A few moments later, she opened her eyes and placed the hanger back on the rack. As she undressed herself, she gave herself a little pep talk. There was no reason to be nervous, this woman was no different to anyone else, she just had a bad morning the previous week and she panicked when the woman got close. It was nothing. 

She pulled on the navy pinstriped pant, white silk collared shirt and black boots, and stepped back out into the corridor. It was vacant, so she made her way slowly to the courtyard. She could hear voices as she approached, and she wiped her palms on her pants to wick the sweat away. 

The courtyard was beautiful in the low light of the sunset. There were fairy lights hanging from the beams crisscrossing the area, interwoven with the green vines hanging from above. The vines crept up along both sides of the area, with perfectly placed bursts of color spattered from a flower planted sporadically. The orange glow of the sun fell brightly along one side of the green wall, with miniature versions of the umbrella like devices she’d seen at the last photo shoot set up in front of a wooden table and chairs. The juxtaposition of colors was spectacular and Valentina understood immediately why this was chosen as the location for the shoot. 

To Valentina’s delight, there were only a handful of people hanging around. Luana approached her as she was taking in the sights of the courtyard. 

“Amazing, right?” She babbled, a bright smile on her face. “These photos are going to be epic!”

Valentina giggled at her assistant’s excitement. “It’s beautiful.”

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to Juliana. We’re all ready for you.”

Valentina gritted her teeth and reminded herself of her pep talk, following Luana closely. 

Valentina saw her before she noticed them. This time, her black hair was up in a high ponytail, highlighting her strong jawline and long neck. She was wearing another pair of curve hugging jeans and a lose top under a denim jacket. She looked much more casual this time around, but she wasn’t any less intriguing. She was standing with a man she had never seen before, necks craned over a camera, clearly discussing an image on the screen. 

“Juliana.” Luana spoke clearly, gaining the woman’s attention. The woman snapped her head around and her expression moved from serious to soft in an instant. A smile spread across her face as her eyes found Valentina’s. 

“This is Valentina. Valentina, this is Juliana, the photographer for tonight.” Luana stood and gestured between the two women. 

The camera in Juliana’s hands dropped down to her left side as she stepped forward and held her right hand out in greeting. “It’s great to meet you properly this time, Valentina.” Her tone was playful and Valentina felt her face grow hot.

Valentina moved on autopilot, grasping Juliana’s hand and shaking it slowly, reveling in the comfort it provided. “I apologize for last week. I had a funny morning and I wasn’t quite myself.”

“It’s really fine. It was quite charming, actually.” There was a glint in Juliana’s eyes that Valentina didn’t miss. 

Valentina couldn’t help the smile that crept onto her lips. “Well, it’s great to meet you too, Juliana.”

Juliana licked her lips and nodded her head as their hands continued to hold onto each other. Valentina couldn’t help but notice her eyes looked lighter in this light, flecks of caramel interspersed in the warm brown. After a moment, Juliana cleared her throat, let go of Valentina’s hand and spoke again. 

“Are you ready to get started?” She asked, gesturing to the wooden seat in front of them. 

Valentina bit the inside of her cheek as she reigned in her thoughts. “Yeah, sure.” She mumbled and moved forward to sit in the chair. She looked up to see Luana looking at her incredulously, her jaw jutted out, mouth agape as her head jerked obviously between Valentina and Juliana. Valentina widened her eyes at her assistant and mouthed “What?”

Luana just crossed her arms and laughed, a knowing look on her face. 

She just had to keep it together long enough to get through this shoot. Her eyes left Luana and landed on Juliana, listening intently to her first instruction as the photographer brought the camera up to her face and snapped the first image.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much for short chapters!  
> I'm on holidays at the moment, hence the more frequent update. I'd love to get this story complete before I get back to work, but we'll see.  
> Thank you for the initial comments and support, I really appreciate it.


	3. Almost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The photo shoot takes a little turn...

Valentina watched as Juliana spoke to one of her collagues, gesturing to the camera and then pointing to the café. The sun finally set so now the only light in the area was the twinkle of fairy lights overhead and the occasional flash from the camera. Valentina was in her second change of clothes, a well fitting pencil skirt, black vest and red heels. Her lipstick was reapplied to match the deep red of her shoes and her hair was swept up into a half up, half down style. She stood, arm up and resting against a metal pole wrapped in vine. 

Juliana finished with her colleague and looked up to Valentina with a smile. 

“Great. The light has gone so we’re done out here. We have one more shoot inside. It’ll take about 20 minutes to set up in there so you can have a break now, if you like?” Juliana stepped forward while she spoke, facing Valentina full on. Her voice was soft and kind, and Valentina wanted to melt in the way Juliana looked at her. 

“Okay. Sure. I’ll just change into the final outfit and I’ll meet you inside.” Valentina tried to act casual, but she wasn’t sure she was fooling anyone. 

She stepped around the photographer and walked inside as confidently as possible in the ridiculous heels she was currently wearing. She stumbled into the storeroom and began taking off her clothes, eyeing off the item on the final hanger. It was a dress, burgundy in color with long sleeves, a low back and a slit almost up to her hip, exposing most of her right leg. She changed into it and the make up artist altered her lipstick color once more, while her hair was brought into a high ponytail with loose tresses framing her face. 

Once she was ready, she excused herself and stood outside the front of the café, taking a moment to catch her breath. It had been a long day. It was nearing on 8pm and she was tired. It didn’t help that the photographer had made her feel extremely comfortable, asking her softly to change the angle of her head or adjust the way her hands were resting. She was encouraging in her praises and moved with grace around the set. Valentina tried to steal glances at the woman when she could, and felt a flutter in her stomach whenever she caught the other woman’s eye. They didn’t talk much beyond what they were there to do, but Valentina felt an undeniable need to get to know the other woman. She seemed mysterious, but she also appeared to be gentle and charismatic. There was something about the way the woman held herself, the way she interacted with others, that made Valentina so enchanted with her. 

A steaming cup of coffee appeared in front of her, interrupting her thoughts. Luana held out the cup with a smug look on her face. 

“It seems like you’re enjoying yourself.” She remarked as Valentina took the mug from her hands. 

Valentina huffed and took a sip of coffee. “Thanks.” She said, raising the mug slightly. “And I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Sure you don’t.”

Valentina turned to face her and raised her eyebrows in question. “Please. Enlighten me.”

“C’mon Valentina. I’ve known you for long enough now. You haven’t been able to tear your eyes away from her.” 

Valentina rolled her eyes. “That’s not true. And anyway, where else am I supposed to look? She’s the one holding the camera.” She pointed out the obvious in an attempt to quash the argument. 

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it.” Luana sniggered. 

Valentina turned and leaned back against the glass window of the shop, holding the mug in her hands to her lips and breathing in the strong scent of coffee.

Luana lent closer and whispered, “Don’t worry. She hasn’t been able to look away, either.”

Valentina looked sideways at Luana and shook her head. “Whatever you think, Luana.” She didn’t believe it, but she also couldn’t help the flutter in her stomach as she considered this observation.

“I didn’t know you swung that way as well.” Luana commented, her tone clearly playful, but it hit a nerve.

“I don’t.” Valentina said sternly. 

Luana understood the change of tone. “Sorry.” She scuffed her feet on the sidewalk and changed the topic. “Come back inside in 5 minutes and we’ll finish up. It’s the last shoot and then you can go home.”

Valentina nodded. “Sure. And thanks again for the coffee, Luana.” 

The door to the café closed and Valentina closed her eyes, mentally berating herself for the way she spoke to Luana. She is normally very levelheaded and she hates conflict or confrontation, often avoiding it at all costs. It’s not often she speaks to other people that way, especially people she considers her friends. She just panicked when Luana insinuated her sexuality. But that’s the crazy thing. She’s never been bothered with people who identify as LGBTI. In fact, she has always been a staunch supporter of people embracing who they truly are, no matter their age, gender, sexuality or race. But to think of herself as one of those people, to think of herself as gay, scared her. The idea had never crossed her mind as she had never been interested in any woman before. It would go against her identity, it would change opinions of her, it could crumble relationships with her family, it could affect her professional life. It’s not something she has ever thought of before, and the unknown frightened her. 

She quickly finished her coffee and walked back inside the café. She noticed immediately the lack of people in the space. The lights were set up in a corner of the shop where Juliana and her colleague stood, adjusting some equipment and scrolling through the camera. Luana approached her and took her mug.

Valentina grasped her forearm and brought her close. 

“Hey. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped like that.” She kept her voice low. 

Luana looked at her with a small smile. “No, don’t worry. It’s my fault. That stuff is personal and I tend to push boundaries when I shouldn’t. Forgive me?” 

Valentina smirked and squeezed her assistant’s forearm. “Forgive each other?” She asked with a wink. 

Luana giggled and nodded her head in agreement. “Of course.”

Valentina let her grip soften on Luana’s arm but continued with their hushed conversation. “Where is everyone?”

Luana placed the mug down on a coffee table. “Everyone has gone. The only people left are the four of us.”

“Oh. Cool.” Valentina wasn’t sure if she was relieved or nervous about the suddenly cozy photo shoot. 

“You better head over there so we can get this done and go home. I’ll go and start packing up the clothing and finish off a few things.” With that, Luana turned and sauntered off down the corridor. 

Valentina walked slowly over to Juliana and the woman looked up as she approached. 

“Oh, hey. Are you ready for this last one?” 

Juliana’s jacket was off now, leaving her in the loose white top that wasn’t quite long enough to reach the band of her jeans, showing just a tiny sliver of skin. Valentina worked hard to keep her gaze at eye level and not any lower. 

“Ready when you are.” She mumbled with a nervous smile as she plonked herself unceremoniously onto the long wooden bench seat that wrapped around one length of the shop. She looked up to spot Juliana’s eyes gawking at the split in her dress, now currently exposing almost her whole leg right up to her crutch. Her heart beat a little faster as she noticed the woman shake her head infinitesimally and pick up the camera, clearing her throat and moving in closer to Valentina. Valentina rearranged herself into a more comfortable sitting position, pulling at her dress in an attempt to shuffle it down her thigh to almost no success. She resigned herself to the fact that showing this much leg was the whole point of the garment she was currently wearing, so she let it go and locked her eyes onto melted brown, completely at the mercy of the woman standing before her. 

Another 5 minutes went by with Juliana directing Valentina in to various positions, with Valentina happily complying to the photographers every request. It wasn’t difficult to do so, as it turned out the photographer was an expert in creating an atmosphere of comfort and warmth. It hardly felt like a chore and Valentina made a mental note to thank Eva for organizing this. 

The room was completely dark except for the lights shining on Valentina, sending a soft glow onto Juliana and her male colleague standing behind the lights. It was quiet, save for the noise of the street just outside and the click of the camera. 

Valentina heard the man mumble something to Juliana, and then watched him leave through the front door of the shop. 

“Where is he going?” Valentina asked out of curiosity. It was not lost on her that his absence meant she and the photographer were now alone in the room. 

“Nico just needed to go and get the van ready to start packing up. We’re nearly done.” Juliana replied softly, kneeling down to find a different angle. She clicked a few more times, before moving forward. 

“I just need to…” She uttered, her voice trailing off. Valentina watched as Juliana’s arm reached out, her fingertips brushing Valentina’s cheek. Her heart rate spiked immediately at the soft touch. She felt a few strands of hair being tucked behind her ear and her skin prickled at the sensation of the woman being so close. Valentina raked her eyes over Juliana’s face, completely hypnotized by her sharp features that were softened by her earnest expression. 

They locked eyes, and Juliana smiled, her eyes lighting up with the motion. 

“You’re beautiful.” Juliana murmured, hot breath tickling Valentina’s skin. 

Valentina felt her breath hitch, unable to look away. She gulped at her suddenly dry throat, aware of how it probably gave away how affected she was by this woman. 

“So are you.” She whispered back. 

Juliana bit her lip and Valentina lost all the air in her lungs. It was the most endearing act she has ever seen anyone do. Ever. Her body was reacting to the proximity to this woman in the most instinctual of ways. She could hear her heart pounding and she could feel the sweat develop on her palms. Her mouth salivated and her stomach tightened. She had no control over the slow movement forward she made, and was stunned when she noticed the woman in front of her push forward at the same time. It was as if an invisible string was pulling at Valentina, urging her onward. Juliana smelt so damn good and it was intoxicating. Her eyes flicked down and her breathing quickened as she watched Juliana’s tongue flick out and lick her lips. She couldn’t think. She didn’t want to think. She closed her eyes and suddenly their breaths were mingling as their lips inched painstakingly closer. 

The squeak of the front door snapped both women out of the moment, jumping apart with eyes looking anywhere but at each other. Juliana stood quickly and made a noise that Valentina thinks was supposed to be a word. Valentina covered her mouth and sat up straight on the seat, blood still rushing through her veins. 

_What the hell just happened?_

“How’s it going out there, Nico?” Valentina vaguely heard Juliana ask the man. 

“Ready to go. Are we done here?” He responded.

“Ah.” Juliana looked down and then over at Valentina, a look of concern crossing her features. She then looked back at the camera and up at Nico. She seemed calm, but not as confident as before. “Yep. I think we’re done.”

“Great.” Valentina said, clearing her throat. She stood up and wobbled slightly on her feet. “Juliana, it was great to meet you. Thank you for your time tonight.” She spoke quickly, her words almost merging into one. She didn’t wait for the woman to respond. She picked up her dress and rushed off to the storeroom to change into the clothes she arrived in. 

Luana was still in there, shuffling through some paperwork. The clothes were gone and the rack was collapsed and leaning against some shelving. 

“All finished?” Luana asked cheerfully. 

Valentina couldn’t find the words to respond, her mind still wrapped up in the moment just gone. 

Luana took one look at Valentina’s face and watched the woman rummage frantically around for her clothes before she grabbed her to slow her down. Valentina felt the firm grasp on her arms and stilled.

“Woah.” Luana soothed. “Everything okay?”

Valentina took a moment to put on her best casual attitude. “Of course. Do you know where my clothes are?”

“Yeah.” Luana frowned, reached behind her and handed Valentina a bundle of folded up clothes. “Here.” 

Valentina let go of the breath she was holding and smiled. “Thank you.” 

“If you’re okay, I’ll go and let you change. I need to catch up with Juliana quickly, anyway.” 

Luana left the storeroom, closing the door quietly behind her. Valentina’s face fell as soon as she was alone. She slumped into the chair in the corner of the small room and put her head in her hands. 

“Jesus. What was that?” She whispered to herself. She rocked back and forth for a few moments, attempting to get a grasp on reality. 

Finally, she took a deep breath and changed into her clothes. She folded the dress she was wearing and sat it on top of the box Luana had labeled “Valentina – Clothes”. Valentina pinched her nose and took another moment to pick up her bag and phone before leaving the storeroom and exiting the shop as quickly as possible. She didn’t look back. 

*******

Valentina walked into work the next morning with heavy bags under her eyes. She had barely slept a wink. Her brain wouldn’t switch off, and the lingering thoughts of the beautiful photographer wouldn’t leave her alone. Valentina had never been so confused and unsure of what she was feeling in her whole life. 

“Oh, Valentina!” She heard Luana cackle as she approached her assistant’s desk. “Did you go out after you disappeared from the shoot last night?”

Valentina frowned, not particularly in the mood for workplace banter. “You know I didn’t. I just couldn’t sleep. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” 

Luana thrust yet another cup of coffee in her hand. Valentina’s knees went weak as she breathed in the caffeine. “Lucky I got you this then.” Luana winked and followed Valentina into her office. 

Valentina sunk into her chair, dropped her handbag onto the ground and threw her sunglasses from her hair onto the desk. She smiled as she sipped at the hot liquid in the cup. 

“You are a lifesaver, Lu.” 

Luana sat down on the seat opposite Valentina. “So, what happened last night? You left without saying bye.”

Valentina regarded her assistant. Luana had begun working here just over a year ago, and she had been a loyal worker turned friend. Luana had dark curly shoulder length hair and brown eyes. She was a little shorter and a bit thicker than Valentina, and beautiful inside and out. She had been honest with Valentina since day one and didn’t treat her like a piece of glass, like so many others did. Valentina appreciated that about her. 

“I was just tired and I wanted to get home.” Valentina dismissed the question with a wave of her hand. 

She leant forward and pressed the button to turn on her computer. As it whirred to life, Luana continued to sit and look at her. 

“Juliana was pretty eager to get out of there, too.” 

Valentina was taken aback by the comment, but she refused to let it show. She smiled at Luana and shrugged her shoulders. “Okay?” She hoped her indifferent attitude on the topic would convince Luana to move on. She looked back to the monitor and shook the mouse, distracting herself. 

“Okay then.” 

Valentina smirked at her assistant and leaned forward on the desk. 

“Right. We have a lot to do. The Black Tie Ball is only 8 days away so we really need to get a move on with the last few details.” 

Luana snapped her fingers. “I’m on it.” She jumped up from her chair enthusiastically and without another word, she was gone. Shortly after, Valentina could hear the clicking of keys on Luana’s keyboard. 

Valentina sighed in relief, Luana finally off her back. She finished off her coffee and opened the company’s server. She typed in Juliana’s name, a profile that didn’t exist before emerging before her eyes. Unfortunately, it had very minimal information. The profile told her Juliana was not an actual member of staff, just a fill in. It also told her she had two more jobs coming up next week. The most important piece of information was her last name. 

_Valdes._

Valentina’s stomach fluttered as she opened the internet browser and searched for the name ‘Juliana Valdes’ in all forms of social media. She searched every social network to no avail. It was as if the woman didn’t know the internet existed. Finally, Valentina stumbled upon a professional, verified account on Instagram. She clicked on the small icon and noticed it had 68k followers. She scrolled through the photos, her hope waning as image after image of landscapes and buildings and random people littered the page. If Valentina was looking for high quality photography, she had come to the right place. The photos were spectacular. But her mind was focused on one thing, and she hadn’t found it. 

Just as she was about to close the page and attempt for the fifth time that morning to forget about the beautiful woman, her eyes caught a self-portrait. It had faded into the background of the photos of strangers, but there was something familiar about the way the woman held herself. Valentina held her breath as she clicked on the image, enlarging it on her screen. A smile broke out as she recognized the woman. Juliana stood in a white silk slip, camera in hand in front of a mirror. There was a bed behind her, unmade as if she had just woken up and rolled out of it. Her hair was out and messy and she had a relaxed look on her face. It was captioned simply as ‘me’. 

Valentina doesn’t know how long she sat and stared at the same image. She doesn’t know what it is about the woman, but she can finally identify the stirring in her stomach. Attraction. She is attracted to her. 

Valentina leans back in her chair as she reflects on the women in her life, her friends that have come and gone, and other women she has met in passing. She noticed them, admired their looks or found them to be beautiful. But she never felt this kind of attraction to any woman before. She knows it’s attraction because of the almost kiss last night, and the fact that she hasn’t been able to get the idea of Juliana’s lips on hers off her mind since she left the café last night. 

She dropped her head on the desk with a dull thud. 

“Another coffee, Vale?” Luana stood at her door, grinning at her. 

Valentina picked up her cup and held it out gratefully, a small pout on her lips. “Please!”

“I’ve emailed you a run sheet for next Saturday night, and I’ve finalized orders with the caterer and the hotel. I have some papers for you to sign and we need to go through some final details, but I’ll bring the coffee first.” Luana spoke as she took the cup, and then wandered out of the room in search of a fresh brew. 

Valentina clapped her hands and stretched her neck. She has a huge event for her charity coming up next weekend and she needed to get her head in the game. She closed out of the image of Juliana and tucked her thoughts of the other woman into the back of her mind for the time being.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fingers crossed this one comes across as intended. I hope you like it!


	4. Savior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls find each other again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: attempted sexual assault. Please only proceed if comfortable.

Saturday finally rolled around and Valentina stood in front of the mirror in her old bedroom at the Carvajal mansion. She wore a simple matching black lingerie set and hanging on the door was the dress she was to wear to the Black Tie Ball tonight. It was a floor length gown, made from black shimmery material that sparkled in the light. The hair and make up people just left so she stood on her own, enjoying the moment to herself. She felt like she hardly got a moment to breath the whole past week. She had worked tirelessly to confirm the rich and famous of Mexico were coming to the ball tonight, hoping to raise lots of money for The Bright Spark Foundation she had begun a year ago. She created the foundation in memory of her parents. Its aim was to provide financial support, equipment, skills and a safe place for the disadvantaged youth of Mexico. Her mother had been a steadfast supporter of the arts, so it focused on mainly targeting those with creative abilities and giving them opportunities to explore their passions. Anything from drawing and writing to painting and photography, the foundation did what it could to support the dreams of young people who may not have the chance to chase them otherwise. 

She reached for the dress and shimmied into it carefully. It was tight fitting and the fabric was stunning. She twirled in the mirror and winked at herself. 

She stuck her head out the door and called for her brother. 

“Guille, I need your help please!”

While she waited for him, she threw her phone and other personal items into her clutch. 

“Wow.” Guille’s eyes were wide as he took in his sister. “You’re stunning, Vale.” 

Valentina laughed at her brother. “Come here. I need you to help me with the zip, please.”

He stepped forwards and zipped her up. They caught eyes in the reflection of the mirror. 

“Thanks for being my date tonight, Guille. It means a lot.” 

She smiled as her brother winked at her. He had always been so kind and caring towards her, and she wasn’t sure where she’d be without him. 

“It’s selfish, but I’m glad Renata is out of town for work tonight so I can have you all to myself.” 

He laughed, a sound that reminded her of her father. “Don’t tell her this, but I would have picked you anyway, hermanita.” He whispered in her ear. 

They both laughed then. Valentina picked up her clutch and slid her heels on her feet. She stood and smoothed out her dress and looked back at Guille when she reached the door, aware he had not followed her out. She caught him smiling warmly at her. 

“What is it?” 

“I’m so proud of you, Vale. And I know our parents would be, too.” His voice was gentle and sincere. 

Valentina felt tears prick her eyes as she looked at her brother, dressed in his fanciest suit with the proudest look on his face. 

“Come on.” She said, reaching out for him. “Don’t make me cry. You’ll ruin my make up!” She laughed, shrugging off his compliment. He took her arm in his and they walked out to the waiting limousine together. 

*********

Valentina only stopped to speak to three reporters on her way up the red carpet, despite the calls and cheers from every journalist in attendance. The hotel in which The Bright Spark Foundation was holding its first Black Tie Ball was grand, and there were people everywhere. The atmosphere felt as if it was a movie premiere, velvet rope cordoning off the plush red carpet leading up the stone steps to the five star hotel. Reporters and photographers were clustered in the area around the red carpet, shouting and calling at the guests as they arrived, eager to get a fresh piece of gossip, to discuss what they were wearing or to snap a photo of the coupled up celebrities. 

Valentina supposed the movie premiere atmosphere wasn’t completely unwarranted, as there were many movie and TV stars in attendance tonight, as well as many famous musicians, artists, and writers. Valentina had done her best to invite the rich and famous to the event in an attempt to raise as much money for her foundation as possible, as well as to receive as much positive publicity to help boost the awareness of what she was trying to achieve with the charity. 

There were people buzzing everywhere. Valentina held Guille close, quick to shut down rumors of which eligible bachelor she was chasing at the moment. The three reports she chose to speak to all brought up her history, in which Valentina used her well practiced response of changing the topic back to how important the work the foundation was doing for the disadvantaged youth of Mexico. She smiled, laughed and posed for the cameras as she made her way up the stone steps and finally into the large lobby of the hotel, away from the mayhem. 

“You did really well out there, Vale.” Guille squeezed her arm. “Now let’s go mingle and make some money.” He winked and led her into the huge ballroom. 

Valentina gasped as she walked in, awestruck by the extravagant decorations. Luana had done an amazing job at walking the fine line between luxurious and simple. Colorful flowers spotted the large dining tables, with the finest crockery adorning white tablecloths. Fairy lights and smaller bouquets sat in the center of the bar tables as the rich and famous stood and conversed with drinks in their hands. Works of art, all made by students of the foundation, were spattered throughout the space for attendees to peruse. Sculptures, large photographs, TV’s playing music videos, framed paintings and a range of other creations held the interest of many patrons. A small stage with a lectern sat at the front of the room, and Valentina gulped at the thought of making her speech later than night in front of this huge room of people. 

A waiter with a tray of champagne walked past and Guille grabbed his attention. He took one glass of champagne off the tray and asked discreetly for a glass of sparkling water. Valentina was grateful for her brother and smiled in thanks as he took his first sip of the expensive drink. 

“Okay. Let’s do this.” He whispered as he led them forwards, greeting the first group of people. 

After an hour, and five glasses of water later, Valentina felt her nerves get the better of her and she excused herself. On her way to find the restroom, she was stopped eight more times, humbly dismissing more compliments on her dress and working to find a polite way to end each conversation. She began shifting on her feet as her bladder begged to be emptied and she eventually had to cut one conversation with an author short in search of relief. The line for the ladies inside the ballroom was long, so she took a chance and left the main room, rushing across the lobby and down a long corridor. It was much quieter in this area of the hotel, and Valentina appreciated the short reprieve from the chaos. 

Out of nowhere, she heard steps behind her. She turned to look over her shoulder and saw Daniel, the journalist at her family’s company who interviewed her the previous week, following her down the hallway. She observed him to be wobbly on his feet, a champagne glass in his hand. She didn’t understand what he was doing here, so she stopped and spoke to him.

“Daniel. Are you okay?” She was genuinely trying to check in on the man. 

He continued to stumble forwards, and she held out her arms for him as he almost collapsed into her. 

“Jesus. How much have you had to drink?” She giggled and attempted to hold the man up. 

He eventually found his feet and his eyes met hers. His were red and unfocused, and she could smell the alcohol on his breath as he swayed from side to side while still holding onto her. Suddenly, a look of irritation took over his face and he pushed her firmly up against the wall. 

“You know, I’m glad you rejected me.” He spat. “You’re an addict. Who knows what kinds of diseases you have.” 

Valentina immediately felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, all of her senses alerting her to danger. She wanted to run, so she pushed against him to get him to back off. He was surprisingly strong considering how drunk he was, and he grinned as he continued to push his weight up against her, his hands gripping her wrists in a tight hold down by her sides. She could feel his breath on her neck and the heat of his body. She was completely trapped. 

“Daniel. You’re drunk. You don’t know what you’re doing.” She tried to sound calm but she could hear her own voice waver. 

He scoffed. “You cock tease. I know you sleep around.” 

A surge of adrenaline coursed through her veins as he pressed forward. She squirmed under the pressure of his body against hers, attempting to wriggle free. She moved her head aside as his lips sought hers. She felt his tongue on her neck and she let out a small scream, unable to budge him. 

“Daniel. Get off me. Now.” She said as aggressively as possible as his teeth bit into her shoulder. 

“Ouch. Fuck. Off!” She cried out in frustration. 

She could feel his arousal on her hip and for the first time since she was pressed against the wall, she felt like maybe she wouldn’t get out of this. He let go of her wrists and began gripping onto her sides, his hands running up and down, her dress shifting up. She placed her hands on his shoulders and tried pushing him away, but he was too strong, his body locking her in place. 

“Valentina?” A sweet voice punctuated the utter hell Valentina was experiencing and she turned her head to the right and saw Juliana standing 5 meters away, glaring at Daniel. “Are you okay?” She looked back at Valentina and her face was twisted in concern. Valentina just stared, mouth agape at the beauty before her. What was she doing here?

“We’re fine. Go away.” Daniel responded severely, not stepping away. 

“I wasn’t talking to you.” Juliana growled at him. 

Valentina watched as Juliana stepped forward and took Valentina’s hand off Daniels shoulder and slowly placed it in her own. 

“C’mon. We have to get you back to the party. People are wondering where you are.” Juliana spoke softly to Valentina, her brown eyes boring into her. 

She pulled Valentina’s hand gently and Daniel stepped back, letting Valentina go. Valentina pulled at her dress that had started to ride up her thighs and Juliana turned, pulling her along behind her, back the way she had come. 

“I’ll see you around, Valentina.” Daniel slurred behind them and Valentina shuddered. 

Juliana spun and pushed open a door, leading the girls into a vacant restroom. Juliana strode over to the large vanity in front of a mirror that wrapped around the entire room and let go of Valentina’s hand, facing her front on. 

“Are you okay?” Her voice was low and laced with panic, her eyes wide. Valentina felt the intensity of Juliana’s gaze on her face and she nodded, the adrenaline finally leaving her body. She suddenly felt tired, and the enormity of what just happened finally clicked. Valentina couldn’t help the rush of emotion. She burst into tears. 

Valentina felt strong arms wrap around her, and she let herself be held as she sobbed. She didn’t know how long they stood like that for, but Juliana just held onto her tight, swaying them back and forth, whispering in her ear that everything was going to be okay. Once her sobs died down and she got a hold of herself, Valentina started to believe her. She thought that if this woman was here with her, holding her, saying these words with such conviction, that maybe everything would be okay. 

She pulled back and wiped at her face. 

“I’m sorry. I’m probably a complete mess right now.” Valentina sputtered through sniffles. She took a look at herself in the mirror and mentally thanked her make up artist for using waterproof mascara and eyeliner. Her eyes were mostly intact, however they were puffy and red from crying. Her lipstick was smeared across her face. She figured this most likely happened in an attempt to get away from Daniel. 

“Don’t worry. I always carry this with me.” Juliana said with a small smile as she pulled out an emergency make up bag from her clutch. 

“Here.” She said as she used her index finger on Valentina’s chin to gently to direct her face to look back at her. “Let me.” 

Valentina nodded and watched as Juliana pulled out a make up wipe from her bag, gently touching up Valentina’s face, ridding her of the smear of red around her lips. 

“I’m sorry you had to see that.” Valentina spoke meekly, her eyes tracing over Juliana’s features as she worked. She was mesmerized by the slight crease in her brow as she concentrated, and the soft touch of her fingers on her jawline as she held Valentina still. Valentina noticed then that she was trembling slightly.

Juliana stopped what she was doing and looked directly at Valentina, a serious expression on her face. “Don’t apologize. Don’t ever apologize for being a victim of that kind of behavior.” Her features softened again, her lips twitching. Juliana’s fingers brushed up along her check and her hand pressed against the side of her neck, under her ear, her thumb brushing soothingly against her skin. “No woman should ever be put in a position like that. I just hope you’re okay.”

Valentina closed her eyes as she felt her body relax under Juliana’s calm words and careful touches. “Thank you.” She whispered. 

“You don’t have to thank me.” Valentina opened her eyes to find warm brown gazing back at her. “I’d do it a million times over if it meant you were okay. I just wish I came along earlier.” 

Valentina’s knees felt weak as she got lost in Juliana’s stare. She had all but forgotten about the Daniel incident as Juliana took in a breath and let go of Valentina, shuffling through some items in her purse to pull out a lipstick. 

Juliana smiled at her as she took off the lid. “This isn’t the same color, but I think it’ll do.” She moved forward, her fingers gripping her jawline again softly as Valentina parted her lips. Juliana pressed the lipstick to her lips, carefully tracing it along the pink flesh. Valentina watched as Juliana’s lips moved into a small O shape reflexively. She tried to stifle her giggle as Juliana worked, but it came out despite her best efforts. 

Juliana pulled back and grinned at her. “What are you laughing at?” 

“You are very cute.” 

Valentina had no idea where the words came from, but there they went, out into the world. When she was younger, she never really had a filter, and she never really had problems with expressing herself so openly. But over the past seven years, she had worked hard to think before she spoke. It definitely had to do with the things she said and did under the influence, and the press doing their best to twist her words into something else. 

The air in the restroom suddenly seemed hot, and she felt the blood in her veins rise to the surface, a blush spreading across her skin. Valentina was suddenly aware of how close they were standing, and her hands twitched by her sides, aching to hold onto the woman in front of her. That invisible pulling feeling tightened again. She felt her left arm rise up and she watched her fingers brush against the woman’s cheek. 

Her breath quickened when she saw Juliana’s eyes flutter at the touch, her brown eyes swirling as Valentina’s fingers scratched into the hair at the base of Juliana’s neck, urging her forwards. 

The intensity built when she felt Juliana’s left hand grip her hip lightly. Her eyes flicked down to Juliana’s lips, and she swallowed at the anticipation of feeling them press against her own. 

“Oh, thank God.” 

Both women jumped apart at the sound. Three women burst into the room, stumbling over one another and giggling. They were clearly drunk. The tallest of them grasped Juliana on the arm. “The line up for the other restroom is ridiculous.” She then pushed past one of her friends and walked into a stall, slamming it shut. 

Valentina was still catching her breath as Juliana began hastily packing away her things. It was only now that Valentina could fully appreciate what the photographer was wearing. She was wearing a full-length deep red dress that hugged her across the hips, complimented by a plunging neckline. She was wearing red lipstick, and Valentina assumed she was now wearing the same color. Her hair was placed in a bun, accentuating her long neck. Valentina fleetingly wondered what sound Juliana would make if she pressed a kiss on the bare skin there. 

She was knocked out of her daydream by one of the other drunk girls speaking her name. 

“You’re Valentina Carvajal, right?” 

“Yeah, that’s me.” 

The blonde girl raised her eyebrows. “You better get back in there. They are waiting on you to start your speech.”

Valentina had no idea how this girl knew that, but Juliana placed her hand back in hers and pulled her towards the door, her clutch under her other arm. 

“Thanks.” Juliana replied to the blonde girl with a polite smile and directed them out of the restroom. 

“Shit. I totally forgot about my speech.” Valentina huffed as she walked with Juliana, side by side down the corridor. 

“Will you be okay to go through with it?” Juliana was checking in with her. Valentina wondered if she could be any more endearing. 

“Yeah. I’ve perfected the art of pretending.” Valentina chuckled sardonically. 

As they entered the brightness of the hotel lobby, Valentina noticed they were still holding hands. Her instinct kicked in, the fear of being caught doing anything with anyone and have it twisted and splashed on the pages of every tabloid magazine in the country. She gently pulled her hand out of Juliana’s grip, immediately longing to hold it in hers again. She offered a sad smile as they continued walking towards the ballroom on the other side of the lobby. 

“Thank you again, Juliana. You’ve been… I don’t know. Really there for me tonight. I appreciate it.” Valentina did her best to keep her voice even, hoping the woman beside her could sense her sincerity. She really didn’t want to think about what could have happened if Juliana hadn’t come at the right time.

“It was a pleasure, Valentina.” Juliana replied as they re-entered the room. 

Guille spotted them immediately and approached. Valentina didn’t miss the twitch in his eyebrow as he noticed Juliana standing beside her. He looped his arm in hers and started walking them towards the stage, excusing them with a nod of his head. Valentina turned to say goodbye to Juliana, but Guille continued walking. All she could do was offer her a smile as she was swept away into the crowd of people.

Guille whispered in her ear. “It’s time. Everyone has been waiting for you.” He passed Valentina her clutch. “Good luck, sis.” 

He let go as they made it to the stage. Valentina rummaged through her bag and pulled out the piece of paper she scribbled on as she heard Luana on the microphone. 

“Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to The Bright Spark Foundation’s first Black Tie Ball. Thank you for being here with us tonight. Please join me in applauding the woman who made all this happen: Miss Valentina Carvajal.”

Luana gestured to Valentina with a huge smile on her face and joined in enthusiastically with the clapping. Valentina carefully stepped up onto the stage and embraced Luana in a grateful hug. Luana took her clutch as she stepped up to the microphone, pressing her hands onto the paper to smooth it out. She had memorized the speech, but she had it written in dot points in case she had a lapse in memory. She cleared her throat and looked out into the sea of faces. 

“Good evening. My name is Valentina Carvajal and I am the founder of The Bright Spark Foundation.” She paused as another round of applause echoed around the room. “I am honored to see you all here tonight, and I am eternally grateful for your kind words and your generous donations. I created The Bright Spark Foundation in memory of my parents. They were always very fond of the arts, my father living out his dream and creating a company that would harness his love for writing and reporting on issues he found to be important to him. It will be the seventh anniversary of his death coming up, and I hope the work we are doing in this foundation is making him proud.” Valentina stopped then, her breath catching in her throat. The room was silent as they listened to Valentina speak. She attempted to get a hold of her emotions, about to speak about how passionate her mother was. She didn’t want to cry on stage. She needed to be strong. She swallowed and looked up. Her eyes roamed the room, looking for something to focus on. She caught sight of a pair of brown eyes looking up at her. Juliana stood a few meters behind Guille, the look on her face helping Valentina’s mind to melt away any bad thoughts. 

She gripped onto the edges of the lecturn as Juliana smiled up at her, a slight nod indicating that everything would be okay. Valentina smiled and continued with her speech, instilled with a new confidence, her eyes not moving away from the mesmerizing brown. 

A huge applause rang out when she finished thanking everyone, and she stepped down off the stage into a bear hug from Guille. 

“Vale. You were amazing!” He gushed, holding her close. 

“Guille, you’re crushing me.” She giggled, wriggling out of his hold. 

He held her at arms length with a goofy smile on his face. “But, tell me, little sis. Who was it you were staring at that entire time?”

Valentina squirmed and scrunched her face up in mock disbelief. Juliana was standing right near him. She had a feeling he already knew the answer to the question. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Guille.” She sniggered and lightly punched him in the ribs. “C’mon, lets get a drink.”

Valentina spent the rest of the night secretly on the lookout for Juliana. She was a highly sought out individual at this event, so she was roped into many conversations with people she didn’t really know or want to talk to. But she smiled all night and made polite conversation, thanking everyone for coming along. Even as she was present in each interaction, her eyes would continually scan around the room, searching for a flicker of dark hair, or a stunning red dress, or those hypnotic brown eyes. 

Eventually, midnight rolled around and it was time to go home. Most patrons had already left, a few still milling about trying to make the most of the open bar. Hotel workers whirred around the room, starting to pack away the chairs and tables in preparation for the cleaners. 

“I think it’s time for us to go home.” Guille said, offering his arm once again to Valentina. “Are you with me?” 

Valentina sighed and relaxed into her brothers embrace. “I am SO ready. I’m exhausted. And my feet are killing me.” Her last sentence was coupled with a slow shuffle of her feet. Guille laughed at her dramatics, helping her down the stone steps and into the limousine. 

She sat down and tipped her head back, closing her eyes as she finally let her body slump into the comfort of the seat. Her mind drifted to Juliana, and what she had done for her tonight. She was disappointed she didn’t get to speak to her again, to show her appreciation, or to just simply be in her presence again. 

“If it helps, I didn’t see her again either.” 

Valentina kept her eyes closed. She didn’t know how to talk about how she was feeling. She didn’t even know how she was feeling, so she couldn’t possibly articulate it. But her brothers’ words comforted her slightly. She knew he would support her no matter what, but it helped to know that in this scenario, whatever it was that Guille could see, he would support her in this too.


	5. Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls get to know one another a little more.

_Juliana Valdes._

Valentina typed the name into her company’s system for the second time. She couldn’t help herself. It had been four days since the ball, and seeing Juliana again only served to fill her brain with even more imagery of the dark haired woman than she had before. But she didn’t know what to do with all these _feelings._ She didn’t know if they were real, or if it was just some strange infatuation that would fade over time. If they were real, she didn’t know how to act on them. In the back of her mind, she also thought about her reputation, her family’s reputation, and she couldn’t let something like this get out of control. 

The strategies she was using to rid her mind of the photographer were clearly not working, so she thought of trying a different angle. Every employee in the Carvajal Group had their calendars synced in the system, so their hours could be tracked and jobs could be booked in remotely. She was attempting to look her up to check if Juliana had any more jobs coming up for the newspaper. That way, she could pretend to run into her, and because it would be for work, it wouldn’t be weird. 

Valentina clicked on Juliana’s name and her schedule came up. Valentina squealed in delight when she saw Juliana had a meeting with Eva. Today. In the very same building. 

She picked up the phone immediately. 

“Hola.” Jessica was Eva’s assistant. She was productive, but didn’t exactly have the best phone etiquette.

“Jessica, hi. It’s Valentina. Can you tell me how long Eva’s meeting is supposed to go for with Juliana Valdes?” She spoke quickly, unable to quell her excitement. 

“Let me check.” Jessica’s voice was monotone. Valentina’s nails thrummed on the desk. “Her 2pm?”

“Yes. How long is she expected?” 

“Well, Eva has another appointment at 2:30pm. So I guess anytime before that.”

Valentina rolled her eyes. “Great. Thanks for your help.”

“Useless.” She muttered to herself as she placed the phone back onto its receiver. 

She locked at the clock. 9am. 5 more hours until Juliana was here. That was plenty of time to come up with a plan. 

*****

At 2:10, Valentina left her office. She told Luana she was going to meet a friend for a coffee, her finger trembling as she pressed the button for the elevator. Valentina made it down to the large, well-lit lobby and pulled out her phone, pressing away at the buttons inattentively, her eyes glued to the elevator doors. She knew the receptionists were looking at her curiously, but she didn’t care. After 10 minutes of walking around with the phone in her hand, she switched it for a newspaper. She picked it up and pretended to read it, all the while glancing at the elevators every time she heard the ding. 

Finally, at 2:28pm, a familiar dark haired woman exited the elevator doors. Valentina immediately felt her heart clench in her chest. She was wearing a grey pantsuit with a white collared shirt and heeled boots, her hair down around her shoulders. She looked professional, but there was something about the way the clothes hung onto her slim body that had Valentina practically drooling. Her brow was creased slightly and she had a faraway look in her eyes. Valentina watched as the brunette walked towards her and the huge glass doors, and her brain finally kicked into gear. She waited until Juliana was close enough before lowering the newspaper. 

“Juliana?” Valentina asked in her most surprised voice. “What are you doing here?”

Juliana’s eyes immediately brightened upon seeing her, her white teeth shining. “Valentina, hey. Wow, it’s great to see you.” She beamed. Valentina wasn’t sure anyone had ever looked at her like that before. “I was in an interview with Eva, actually.” 

“An interview. For what?”

Juliana smirked. “A job.” 

Valentina bit her lip and nodded. “Obviously. How’d it go?”

Juliana licked her lips and held her arms out in front, presenting herself. “You are looking at the new in house contract photographer.”

Valentina couldn’t help but reflect the huge smile on Juliana’s face. “Oh, wow. That’s amazing. Congratulations.” Valentina gushed. “So, we’ll be working together more, then?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” 

“Well, as a fellow employee, let me welcome you to Group Carvajal.” Valentina exclaimed, holding her hand out in congratulations. Juliana happily took it, and they continued to smile at one another. 

“We’re barely fellow employees. You’re my boss.” Juliana raised her eyebrows playfully. 

Valentina cleared her throat and regretfully let go of Juliana’s hold. “Luckily for you, as your boss, I have your first assignment.”

Juliana folded her arms in front of her chest and quirked one eyebrow. She was almost daring her. “Uh huh. What can I do for you, Valentina?”

“You can accompany me to the nearest café. I’m dying for coffee.” She exaggerated the word dying, her arms reaching out to cling onto Juliana, pretending to collapse into her. Juliana just laughed, and Valentina thought it was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. It was throaty and sweet, and she wanted to hear it over and over. 

“What the boss wants, the boss gets. Lead the way.” Juliana held her arm out, gesturing towards the glass doors, and Valentina grinned from ear to ear. 

They walked side by side to a café on the opposite corner to the building. Valentina knew the owners by name, and she called out Juliana’s order to them as sweetly as she knew how, while directing them to a couch in the back of the shop. 

“I’m really glad I ran into you. I’ve been wanting to thank you for saving me on Saturday night.” Valentina clasped her hands in her lap as they settled. 

Juliana fell back into the couch, her dark hair splayed out on the headrest of the tan leather. “Val, I’m serious. It’s not something you need to thank me for.” 

Valentina smiled at the nickname. Usually she minded if people shortened her name, unless it was her family or close friends, but she liked the way it sounded off Juliana’s lips. Her family usually call her ‘Vale’, so it was refreshing to hear something different. 

“Did you…” Juliana spoke slowly, and Valentina knew immediately what she was about to ask.

“It’s been dealt with.” Valentina interrupted. She didn’t want to go into details about the police report she made the next day with support of her brother and sister, or of the conversation Eva and Guille had with Daniel about his dismissal before the police took him in for questioning, or of the lie they came up with to keep it discreet. The last thing Group Carvajal needed was a scandal, so they dealt with it quietly. No questions had been asked. Valentina just wanted to forget about it and move on.

“Okay.” Juliana said quietly, understanding the meaning in Valentina’s words. 

Valentina picked at her fingernails in her lap. “So, how did you become a photographer?” She welcomed the change in topic, keeping it lighthearted. 

Juliana crossed her legs and kept her gaze on Valentina as she spoke. “I won’t bore you with my life story. Basically, I’m self-taught. My mama bought me a camera as a gift for my 16th birthday. It was really special because we didn’t have a lot of money. We never really celebrated birthdays or anything, so it was extra special that my mama went to the effort of getting me this camera. And I was just obsessed with it. I could only use it when my dad wasn’t around, but I took every opportunity I could to take photos.” Juliana smiled at the memory. 

“I’ve seen your photos. They are amazing.” Valentina said truthfully. 

“Oh, thanks. It was a hobby and I somehow turned it into a job. I got lucky. Not too many people get to do that. At least, not from where I’m from.”

A waitress interrupted by placing their steaming cups of coffee down on the table in front of them. Both women thanked the young girl. Juliana sat forward onto the edge of the couch and reached for the sugar. 

“Where are you from?” Valentina wanted to know more. 

“I’m really not that interesting.” Juliana chuckled, placing two teaspoons of sugar in her mug before stirring. 

“Well, I’m interested.” Valentina spoke before thinking. She realized the double entendre, but kept her face straight to not let on. 

Juliana gave her a lopsided grin before blowing on her coffee. “San Antonio. Texas.”

Valentina raised her eyebrows at the revelation. “Oh, wow. And what brought you to Mexico City?”

Juliana took a sip of her coffee and placed her mug back on the table. “My dad died when I turned 18. We left and never looked back. It’s just my step-dad, mama and me now.”

Valentina took notice that Juliana didn’t mention a partner for herself. “I’m sorry to hear about your papa.” 

“Oh, don’t be. He wasn’t a very nice person.” Juliana dismissed the death of her father easily. Valentina assumed there was a lot of bad history there, but now wasn’t the time to ask those kinds of questions.

“Do you still live at home?” 

Juliana snorted. “I’m 25. Do you think I still live at home?”

Valentina laughed at the look on Juliana’s face. “Well, I only moved out last year and I’m 26 so I thought it was a reasonable question.”

They both took a moment to sip on their coffee, Juliana then scooting back into the depths of the sofa. Valentina looked at her, and that fluttering in her stomach pulled at her again. This woman was magnetic. Valentina wanted to reach out and touch her, but she resisted the urge, instead relying on basic conversation to get to know her. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask you, why were you there on Saturday night?” Valentina had wondered in the days since what Juliana’s connection was to the evening. 

Juliana raised one eyebrow. “You don’t know?” Her tone was amused as her eyes flashed at her. 

Valentina shrunk her head into her shoulders. “Should I know something?” She asked quietly. 

Juliana laughed again. Valentina wanted to bottle the sound somehow and listen to it whenever she felt down. “I run some classes for Bright Spark. I thought you knew.”

Valentina’s mouth dropped open as she listened. “Are you serious?” 

“Yes. I’ve been running beginner photography classes every Thursday afternoon for about 3 months.” Juliana’s face was bright. 

Valentina actually face palmed herself, eliciting another giggle from the dark haired woman. She kept her forehead resting in her palm as she looked sideways at Juliana. 

“I feel like an idiot for not knowing that. I’m sorry.”

Juliana sat forward then, taking Valentina’s hand from her face and holding it in her own. The touch was warm and inviting. Juliana looked at her closely and Valentina’s heart pounded. “You’re a busy woman. I wouldn’t expect you to know some new chick ran a few classes at your huge foundation. Don’t worry about it.”

Valentina smiled at Juliana, their eyes connecting. Usually Valentina avoided prolonged eye contact, finding it awkward and unnecessary. She was truly dumbfounded when she found herself falling into the depths of brown in front of her, with no desire to surface. 

“Are you running the class this Thursday?” Valentina prodded. Her hand was still enveloped in Juliana’s and she was content with the closeness it brought. 

“You mean tomorrow?” 

Valentina nodded. 

“Yes, Val. I am.” Juliana replied, clearly entertained. 

“How would you feel about having a guest crash your class tomorrow?” Valentina narrowed her eyes in response to Juliana’s playful tone. 

Juliana spoke slowly, her eyes sparkling. “If they are as beautiful as you, I think they would be welcome anytime.”

_Holy shit._ Was this woman flirting?

Valentina’s mouth went dry and her eyes automatically glanced to Juliana’s lips. God, she wished she knew what was going on with her. Why did she want to kiss this woman so badly?

Before she did anything she thought she might regret, she pulled back gradually, but kept her hand wrapped in Juliana’s to let her know she still wanted to be near. The magnetism that seemed to be pushing her towards Juliana was too strong when she was close, her scent luring her in. She couldn’t trust herself to control whatever it was that was bubbling under the surface. Thankfully, Juliana understood the need for distance. She let go of Valentina’s hand and picked up her mug, taking a long swig of the now luke-warm liquid. 

The time went by too quickly, the women laughing and talking, getting to know one another a little more. Valentina was completely entranced with everything the dark haired woman said, her mannerisms and the way she spoke continuing to reel her in. There was something about her that made Valentina want to hold her and never let her go. 

Valentina was delighted to learn more about the mysterious woman she had such a strong pull towards. She learned that Juliana had grown up poor, so never took anything for granted. She was relieved to come to Mexico, and finished her last year of schooling here. She had three boyfriends in her twenties, all of which she left in the dust. She became a waitress after finishing school, helping her mama earn enough money to keep a roof over their head and food on the table. They didn’t have enough money to provide Juliana with tertiary education, so she spent her free time taking photographs. She used Instagram to display her photos, gradually gaining a popular following. Over time, it helped her to pick up paying jobs. She moved out at 23, earning just enough money to rent a small apartment to herself. Just a few of weeks ago, the Carvajal Group HR department contacted her to shoot an upcoming musician, Angel, and she took it. 

“And now, here I am.” She said, shrugging her shoulders. 

“So that first time I met you, that was your first job with us?” Valentina said, wide eyed. 

Juliana chewed on her bottom lip. “Yep.”

Valentina’s mouth dropped. “You seemed so professional, moved with such confidence. I can’t believe it was your first day!”

“You gotta fake it ‘til you make it, Val.” Juliana smirked, shoving her shoulder playfully. 

Valentina disclosed details about her own history when Juliana asked, unsure how much the other woman knew. She tried to keep it light, but she wasn’t afraid to leave out the dark parts. Juliana sat attentively and listened, occasionally stroking her hand, or squeezing her knee. It was strange, telling practically a stranger things about herself she wouldn’t normally say out loud. Valentina felt in her gut that she could trust the woman sitting before her. So she took a risk, and hoped it paid off.

Before long, Juliana ordered an Uber and Valentina paid for the coffees. 

“I’m sorry to cut this short. I was having a really nice time.” Juliana said as she threw her phone into her bag. 

“Yeah, me too.” Valentina said with a tilt of her head. 

A car rolled up beside them. 

“Well, this is my ride. Thanks again for the coffee.” Juliana said with a smile. 

Valentina panicked. She didn’t know what the right way to end the conversation was. She wanted to hug the woman, but she wasn’t sure if that was crossing a boundary. They hadn’t spoken about the two near kisses, or the insane chemistry she could feel between them. Surely she wasn’t the only one who could feel it. They had tried to keep their hands mostly to themselves for the duration of the afternoon, succeeding only some of the time. She was generally quite an affectionate person when it came to her friends, having no qualms in wrapping them up in a hug. But this felt different and she didn’t want to stuff it up. 

While she was in her head, Juliana must have sensed her hesitation. Strong arms wrapped around her body, and Valentina closed her eyes at the touch, returning the hug. God, what was it about this woman that smelt so good?

“I’ll see you tomorrow, right?” She heard Juliana ask near her ear. 

Valentina pulled back slightly to look at Juliana, her hands still resting on her shoulders. “I’ll be there.” She gave Juliana her most charming smile. Her eyes had a mind of its own, flicking down to rest on the woman’s lips. They were glistening and completely enticing. She must have applied lip gloss while Valentina paid for the coffee. She heard a puff of air leave her lungs as she imagined what they tasted like. 

“Tomorrow.” She heard Juliana say quietly, and her eyes met brown again.

She watched Juliana take a deep breath and let go. She stepped towards the car, before opening the door and climbing in. Valentina gave an awkward wave as the car drove away. 

Valentina felt like she floated back up to her office. She quirked her head at Luana when she saw her assistant grinning widely at her approach. 

“Why are you so happy to see me?” 

Luana stood and followed her into her office. “Two reasons.”

Valentina sat in her chair and ran her hand through her hair, waiting for Luana to continue. Her assistant practically bounced on her feet as she spoke. 

“One. I don’t know what kind of coffee you just drank, but you should drink them more often if they are going to have this calming affect on you. You look the most relaxed I’ve seen in a while. And you haven’t stopped smiling since you walked in here.” 

Valentina just rolled her eyes playfully, unable to wipe the smile off her face.

“And two, a really beautiful photographer stopped by here earlier looking for you.” 

Valentina’s brow creased. “What?”

“Juliana, that gorgeous photographer. She stopped by here. Apparently she had a meeting with Eva and she came by here when it finished looking for you. I told her you were out. She looked a little devastated when I broke the news to her, if I’m honest.” Luana was practically jumping out of her skin as she spoke.

Valentina sat back in her chair considering this new piece of information. She fiddled with her earring as her brain tried to comprehend why Juliana would have come by her office. She certainly wasn’t going to tell Luana she just spent the past hour with the woman, and she would never tell anyone that she had planned it that way.

“I’ll leave you with that.” Luana winked at her and turned, skipping out the door. 

******

Valentina wasn’t sure why, but she was surprised at how great a teacher Juliana is. She sat at the back of the studio, watching in awe as the afternoon sun lit up the space through the tall windows, after Juliana forced her to make a speech to the group of 10 teenagers. Juliana made a big deal about the Foundations creator making an appearance, so she spent ten minutes at the start of the class fielding questions from the group. She scrunched up her nose at the applause and shook her head teasingly when she caught Juliana laughing at the attention Valentina was receiving from her students. Eventually, Juliana settled the group and began the lesson. 

Valentina didn’t have any clue about photography, so Juliana’s words were lost on her. She listened, completely enraptured, as Juliana spoke passionately about aperture and shutter speed. She looked around the room and noticed she wasn’t the only one absolutely glued to the dark haired woman. Every teenager in the room was engrossed in Juliana’s words; to the point where if Juliana stopped talking, you could probably hear a pin drop.

“Okay, so the focus of today is to work on getting your aperture correct. You have 20 minutes and then we’ll reconvene here and print some of your work.”

Juliana clapped her hands enthusiastically and the room was filled with the scraping of chairs, people chatting and the clicking of lenses. 

Valentina got up and started moving towards Juliana. The woman gave her a bright smile as she approached. She picked up a camera, turned it on and handed it at her. 

“Here. You might as well join in while you’re here.” 

“I have no idea how to work this thing.” Valentina admitted, looking at the device as if it was a bomb. 

“Don’t worry.” Juliana giggled. “I’ve set it up for you. All you have to do is adjust the focus, and press the button.” Juliana pointed at the black button at the top of the camera. 

Valentina just widened her eyes. 

“Oh my God. You are too cute.” Juliana snorted. “Here, let me show you.” She took the camera back off Valentina and brought it up to her eye, pointing it at Valentina. 

Valentina was shy suddenly, her face burning, placing her palm over the lens. 

“Oh, come on. I’ve taken plenty of photographs of you before. Don’t get shy now.” Juliana said lightheartedly as she gently pushed Valentina’s hand out of the way. 

Valentina narrowed her eyes and sighed. “Fine.” She gazed straight into the lens of the camera, a smirk playing on her lips. 

Juliana adjusted the lens slightly and clicked the button. She brought the camera down, pressing another button to bring the image up on the screen. 

“See?” She said, turning the camera for Valentina to see. “Beautiful.”

Valentina smiled at the image. “I swear you can make anything look good.” She said, astounded at the quality of the image. The woman had serious talent. 

“The subject certainly helped in this case.”

Valentina laughed. She’d been out of the game too long to recognize whether this was flirting, or just friendly banter. 

“Here, you try.” Juliana handed Valentina back the camera. 

Valentina didn’t say anything, just took the camera and brought it up to her face. She looked through the viewfinder and faced the camera back at Juliana. 

“Woah, woah. No. I’m always behind the camera, never in front.” Juliana tried to duck out of the way.

“Hey.” Valentina lowered the camera and looked at Juliana, her hand reaching out and resting on her forearm. “You had your turn, now it’s mine. Stand still.” She said teasingly. 

Juliana rolled her eyes. “Just this once, then.” She then stood and looked at Valentina as she brought the camera back to her eye. 

Juliana was blurry, so she rotated the lens to bring her into focus, just like Juliana had. Once she could see her clearly, she clicked the button. She lowered the camera again, giving Juliana a cheesy smile as she did, proud of her efforts. Juliana stepped beside her and pressed the button to bring the image onto the little screen. 

“See.” Valentina said, turning her head to look at the dark haired woman and repeating her words. “Beautiful.”

Juliana was standing close, her head next to Valentina’s shoulder as she looked down at the image. Their eyes met and Juliana gave her a shy smile. “Not so bad for someone who has never held a digital camera before.” She breathed, the intensity shifting slightly. 

Valentina opened her mouth slightly, trying to think of something to say. But her mind was blank, all her focus was on Juliana’s face, her lips, her eyes. 

She watched Juliana’s eyebrows tighten slightly, her eyes molten. “What is it about you…?” Juliana whispered, almost as if she was meant to think it, not say it aloud. 

“Juliana?” The women sprang apart and looked to a young man standing before them. “Can you please help me with this?” He said, holding his camera up in front of them. 

Juliana cleared her throat. “Yeah, sure Luis.” Juliana gave Valentina a shy smile and walked away, discussing the boys’ photos and offering advice. 

Valentina spent the rest of the class wandering around, chatting to the students and admiring their photography skills. Every now and then, she would catch Juliana’s eye. She couldn’t help the way her throat constricted each time she smiled at her, or the way her skin tingled each time their hands brushed, or the invisible pull she felt whenever she was near. She couldn’t help the way she always seemed aware of where Juliana was, or the way she felt weak whenever Juliana looked at her _like that._

Juliana’s voice rang clearly across the room. “Alright. It’s time to print your photos. If you’d like to come forward and hook your camera up to any of these computers, we can print any photos you like.”

Valentina accompanied a young girl, Rosa, to the computers. Rosa had taken a beautiful photo of some flowers outside, so Valentina helped her with the printing. 

“Any photos you’d like to print, Val?” Juliana was standing behind her. 

Valentina turned and stroked her chin as if in deep thought. “Actually, yes. Just one.”

Juliana nodded once and held her hand out for the camera Valentina still held. She passed it over and followed Juliana to a computer, where she hooked it up. Two photos appeared. 

“Val, you didn’t take any more photos? These are just the two of us.” Juliana cackled, shaking her head. 

Valentina pointed to the image she snapped of Juliana. “I’d like that one, please.” She said with a lopsided grin. 

Juliana just rolled her eyes. “You’re serious?”

“I’m just proud of my handiwork.” Valentina said with a mock shrug of the shoulders. 

Juliana bit her lip and narrowed her eyes at Valentina. “Fine.”

She opened the image and hit print. She walked to the printer and flicked the paper as she picked it up, taking a quick look at it. She stood before Valentina and held the photo out for her to take. 

“Thank you!” Valentina said, admiring her work. “Geez, I’m good at this photography stuff.” She said with a wink. Juliana just shook her head, the smile not leaving her face. 

“I better get going. I have dinner with Guille and Eva tonight.” Valentina said, picking up her bag and sending a quick text to Alirio. “But thank you for having me this afternoon. It’s been really fun.” 

Juliana walked with her to the door of the building. “Thank you for coming. I think the kids really liked having you here.” 

“We’ll do it again sometime, then. Not that I need any more photography lessons, clearly.” She said with a grin, holding up her photo of Juliana. 

“Oh, whatever!” Juliana laughed, and Valentina basked in the throaty sound and the way her eyes creased around the edges when she smiled. “You’re welcome anytime.” 

The black SUV pulled up and Valentina took a step towards it, before swirling around. “Hey. Every now and then my siblings and I put on a party to celebrate the work we do at Group Carvajal. We’ve been doing really well lately, and it’s usually a pretty hard time of year around now for us, so we’re hosting one tomorrow night with everyone from the office.” This was a perfect cover. She would be able to see Juliana again tomorrow, and it was disguised as a work function. “I don’t know if you got the email, but you should come, now that you work with us.” 

Juliana crossed her arms over her chest and bit her lip. “Luana actually already gave me all the details. I’ll be there.”

Valentina wrinkled her brow at the idea of Luana being in contact with Juliana about the party. Juliana’s face looked amused, so she shrugged it off. She stepped forward and gave Juliana a hug. “Great. So I’ll see you tomorrow night.” She whispered into Juliana’s hair. She could feel the warmth of Juliana’s body and the thought of letting go almost hurt. She had a fleeting thought that if she could, she would stay there and hold this woman for hours.

“See you tomorrow, Val.” Juliana replied, pulling back.

Valentina nodded again, held her picture up in thanks, gave Juliana her best grin and stepped inside the SUV.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise things move forward next chapter ;)  
> Any advice, mistakes, feedback etc.... please let me know!


	6. Backflips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's sexy dancing time!

This kind of environment is exactly what Valentina tried to avoid these days. The loud bass, shining lights, sticky floors, the smell of alcohol and the heaviness of sweat permeating the air were all things that reminded her of the hardest times of her life. Valentina took in a deep breath and looked out over the mass of people on the dance floor a few steps below. She felt a body stand close to her. She glanced beside her as Guille handed her a cool glass of sparkling water. She offered him a close-lipped smile in thanks and went back to people watching. 

They were standing in the reserved VIP area of the exclusive nightclub. The Carvajal siblings put on an open bar and booked out half the club for their employees. Although they had hundreds of workers in all kinds of departments, only about 80 of the Carvajal Group personnel were there to enjoy the evening. Valentina guessed this wasn’t exactly everyone scene, as most of the revelers were in their twenties. 

“How are you feeling?” Guille called out close to Valentina’s ear. She knows Guille worries about her whenever she goes out. 

“I’m fine, actually.” Valentina said honestly. She didn’t feel the urge to drink at all, quite content with the glass of water in her hand. 

She caught sight of Luana out on the crowded dance floor, and she waved enthusiastically at her, beckoning for her to join. Valentina smiled and shook her head. She wasn’t a very coordinated dancer. In her earlier years, when she had consumed enough alcohol, she would happily bounce around on the dance floor, inhibitions removed. She wasn’t quite willing to make a fool of herself tonight. 

It was pushing towards 11pm, and Valentina’s hopes of seeing Juliana tonight were slowly dissipating. The photographer said she was going to be here, so she held on tightly to the sliver of hope throughout the evening but as time waned, she felt her optimism slipping.

“You seem distracted, that’s all.” Guille gently pushed on her shoulder to get her attention.

Valentina shook her head. “I’m really okay. Why don’t you go and dance with your girlfriend?” She replied, pointing at Renata out on the dance floor. 

Guille narrowed his eyes at her. Red, green and blue lights bounced off his face, and Valentina couldn’t help but smirk back at him. She knows he doesn’t dance. Her brother unfortunately has less coordination than she does. 

They resumed their original positions and as Valentina brought her glass up to her mouth, her eyes spotted a dark haired woman pushing her way through the throng of people. Her heart constricted in her chest as Juliana looked up and they locked eyes. The woman smiled up at her and continued through the crowd, showing the bouncer her wristband before entering the VIP area. 

Valentina put her glass down on the table beside her and turned to pull Juliana into a hug. She felt Juliana’s hand stroke her hair once, and she held on a little tighter before pulling away. 

“Hey!” Valentina grinned as she gazed at the brown eyes finally in front of her. 

“Sorry I’m late. I got stuck helping my mama move boxes into their new place.” 

“You’re here now. Don’t worry about it.” Valentina noticed her hand was still holding onto Juliana’s wrist. She let it go and looked to her brother, who was watching them intently. She held her arm out to indicate for her brother to step forward. 

“Guille, this is Juliana, our new photographer.” She called out, attempting to be heard over the thumping of the music. “Juliana, this is my brother Guille.” She gestured to each of them as she introduced them. 

Guille held out his hand to which Juliana took. “I remember. You were at Angels shoot.” He said, leaning close to Juliana. 

“That’s right. It’s nice to meet you.” Juliana replied with a smile. 

“Lovely to meet you, Juliana.” Guille let Juliana’s hand drop. “Would you like a drink? It’s an open bar.” 

“I don’t really drink. But thank you anyway.” 

Guille just nodded, a glint in his eye. “Finally, Vale. A sensible friend.” 

Juliana laughed. “I actually might go get a water.” Juliana stepped back before Guille stopped her. “You stay here with Vale. I’ll get it. I need a refill anyway.” He said, holding up his empty glass for proof. 

“Thanks.” Juliana called out as Guille walked off in the direction of the bar. 

The girls turned to face one another full on. 

“I’m glad you made it.” Valentina said, leaning in close so Juliana could hear her. 

“Yeah, me too.” 

Valentina took a moment to look at Juliana properly for the first time. She was wearing high waisted jeans paired with a tight black sleeveless crop top. Her dark hair was out and wavy, tumbling over her shoulders. Her arms were toned and Valentina struggled to tear her eyes away from the sliver of skin her stomach was showing. She was beautiful. 

Valentina finally caught Juliana’s gaze again, and found the woman smirking at her. She had clearly been caught staring for a little too long to be considered polite. She wasn’t sure what gave her the confidence to move forward, her lips almost touching Juliana’s ear. “You look really good.”   
Valentina lingered close for a second longer than she should have, breathing the other woman in. She felt Juliana’s chest bounce as she laughed. She pulled back and saw Juliana quirk an eyebrow, a sultry smile on her face as her own eyes raked over Valentina’s body. Juliana then copied Valentina’s move, pressing in close, her hand gripping Valentina’s shoulder. “You are always gorgeous. But I do like this dress on you very much.”

She pulled back as quickly as she had moved in, her eyes swirling. Before Valentina could say anything else, Guille reappeared. 

The three of them sat on the red lounge lining the wall of the area, sitting close to be heard as Guille peppered Juliana with questions. As they spoke, Valentina couldn’t help but observe Juliana’s profile, admiring her smooth skin and the slight dimple in her chin. She wanted to reach out and run her thumb over it. She watched, enamored, as Juliana spoke passionately with her hands, and how her head titled back when she found something Guille said to be particularly funny. Whenever Valentina contributed to the conversation, she reveled in the motion of leaning over Juliana slightly so Guille could hear her, her hand resting on Juliana’s knee to keep her balance.

Suddenly, Juliana’s eyes lit up as she spotted someone on the dance floor. A few people who Valentina recognized from work were waving at her to join them. Juliana turned to Valentina.

“I’m going to go and dance for a bit. Do you want to come?” 

Valentina panicked. She wanted to, but she didn’t have the courage to dance with the beautiful woman. She didn’t want to risk making a fool of herself in front of her, so she decided to play it safe.

She shook her head. “I’ll stay here with Guille. You go.”

“I’ll be back.” She squeezed Valentina’s knee as she got up and stepped down into the sea of moving people. 

She felt Guille shuffle closer to her as her eyes stayed trained on Juliana. “I don’t need babysitting. Go and join them. Have some fun.” He said as he nudged her with his elbow. 

“You know I have no rhythm Guille. I’m fine here with you.”

Guille just chuckled and brought his glass back up to his lips, finishing his drink and standing. “I need a refill.”

Valentina barely heard him. She stood, completely enraptured with the dark haired beauty moving along with the music. Juliana looked serene when she danced, a smile adorned on her face, her hips swinging seductively, hair swaying as she moved. She doesn’t know how long she stood there watching, but a firm grip on her hand brought her back to the present. 

Valentina looked down to see Luana standing beside her. “Come on, let’s dance.” She called out, her red lipstick complimenting her dark skin. Her eyes were unfocused and Valentina could tell she was a little drunk. 

“You know I don’t dance, Lu.” Valentina pulled back, but Luana had a firm grip. 

“C’mon Vale. You never dance and have fun. Please? For me?” Luana pouted. When Valentina didn’t respond, she gripped onto her arm with both hands, holding it close. “Please?” She used her most whiny tone, and Valentina knew Luana could be relentless until she got her way. That is partly why she got the job as her assistant, after all. 

Valentina rolled her eyes and huffed a deep sigh. Luana looked up with the most pleading eyes, knowing she was about to get what she wanted. “Yes?”

“Okay, fine.” Valentina gave in, letting Luana pull her down the steps and onto the dance floor. She was hyper aware of where Juliana was, and Luana pulled her into a cramped space not too far from where the photographer was swaying. Valentina felt stiff, bouncing and bopping slightly on the spot. Luana just laughed at her and held her hands in between them. 

“C’mon. Don’t be so uptight. Just relax and feel the beat.” She yelled out across the space. Valentina closed her eyes and let the swinging of her hands in Luana’s and the beat of the music fill her. She breathed deeply and just relaxed. She had nothing to worry about. The club was packed and the dance floor was crowded. No one would be watching her. So she let herself go. 

“That’s it, Vale.” She heard Luana call and she opened her eyes to see her friend smiling back at her. She laughed and let go of Luana’s hands, getting into the rhythm. It had been so long since she let herself go like this, and it was invigorating. She was having fun. 

Valentina turned and caught brown eyes watching her. Juliana was not very far away, still dancing with the same group, her attention focused purely on Valentina. They continued to watch one another as they danced, bodies around her pressing against her as the crowd swayed to the music. She felt a body close to her back push her gently through the crowd towards Juliana. She then watched as Luana stepped in front of her and pulled Juliana into a hug. Juliana laughed and nodded when Luana spoke in her ear. She then watched her assistant continue dancing with this new group of people, smiling and laughing with the people around her. Valentina grinned at Juliana and continued dancing, trying not to watch the dark haired woman too closely. She tried to focus back on the beat, attempting to match the sway of her hips to the loud thumping of the song blearing from the speakers. She felt bodies everywhere, almost as if the crowd was getting thicker. She looked up when she felt a hand press against her back. Juliana moved in front of her and leaned forward.

“You are adorable when you dance.” 

Valentina couldn’t respond. She could feel Juliana’s body pressed closely against hers. She could smell the sweat on her skin, feel the heat radiating between them. Juliana pulled back and continued dancing with the group of people around them, but staying firmly by Valentina’s side. As they moved with the crowd of people, their hands and bodies would inevitably touch. It was nothing deliberate, but it sent thrills through Valentina each time she felt her skin brush Juliana’s. 

Valentina looked around. They were surrounded by drunk patrons, gyrating and grinding against one another, completely consumed in their own bubbles of happiness. Valentina could no longer find Luana in the mass of people, assuming she had gone to get another drink. It was nearing midnight and the crowd had no intention of thinning out. She felt sweat forming on her skin due to the body heat from the people around her and the exertion from dancing. She pulled her hair up quickly and wrapped a hairband around it, feeling immediately better without her hair sticking to the back of her neck. She closed her eyes again and melted into the crowd, appreciating the anonymity of the evening. She usually had to be very careful at these kinds of events, and was usually approached by many members of the public. Tonight, no one had even batted an eyelid at her all evening, and it was refreshing.

Valentina felt a hand close around her own purposefully. She looked up to find Juliana moving in front of her, an intense look on her face. She moved slightly closer, her hand sliding up Valentina’s arm and resting on her shoulder. They stayed like this for a moment, moving close to one another, before Valentina shifted her own hand to grip lightly onto Juliana’s waist. That movement alone was all Juliana needed, stepping closer again to Valentina, her hand now resting on the back of Valentina’s neck. Valentina’s heart rate spiked as she gazed at Juliana, her brown eyes deep and intense through her long dark lashes. She licked her lips as her hips continued to sway, slowly pressing her body closer to Valentina. 

Valentina couldn’t help it. She looked around again nervously, unsure if anyone could see her dancing so closely to another woman. All she saw were people enjoying themselves, preoccupied by their own lives to worry about someone else’s. She faced back to Juliana and smiled, her hand slipping from her waist to the small of her back. She felt their bodies connect more fully, and her breathing increased. 

Valentina saw complete clarity in Juliana’s eyes. Usually in these environments, people dancing like this are inebriated. Valentina hadn’t seen Juliana drink a single thing all night, and her comment from earlier replayed in her mind. They were both completely sober. Even if Valentina could have a drink, she didn’t think she’d want to. Juliana was intoxicating enough. 

They continued to dance together, their touches becoming more daring, their hips swaying together. And finally Valentina could admit to herself what she has been feeling since she first laid eyes on the woman moving against her.   
She wants her. Valentina wants to kiss her, to hold her, to trace her tongue over every millimeter of Juliana’s skin. She wants to hold her hand and take her out to dinner. She wants to know Juliana’s favorite book, what her ultimate breakfast food is, what music she dislikes and what her moans sound like. She wants to confide in her, to share her history with her, to tell her jokes just to listen to her laugh. 

She is completely overwhelmed by the intensity of her feelings. She’s never felt like this before.

She lets go and steps back. “I need water.” She notices the confused expression on Juliana’s face, but she can’t deal with that right now. She turns and pushes her way out of the mass of partygoers and makes her way to the bar. 

“Hey. You’re Valentina Carvajal.” A man with blonde curly hair states as she waits to be served. His statement reminds her that she always has been and always will be a public figure. She has a reputation to uphold and a family to protect. She can’t be seen grinding up against another woman in a crowded club. She imagines what the tabloids would say if someone had snapped a picture of her getting handsy with the dark haired beauty. She groans, conflicted, and taps her fingernails on the wooden bar top.

Valentina doesn’t respond to the stranger, pretending she didn’t hear him. She was raised better than to be rude though, so she offers him a small smile as she waits, her body language telling everyone not to approach her. She orders her water and thanks the barman for the cool drink. She guzzles it down in one go, the liquid doing nothing to calm her racing heart. 

She puts the drink down and makes her way back to the VIP area. As soon as she steps up into the exclusive area, her gaze finds Juliana again. It’s magnetic, the way her heart and mind are always thinking about Juliana, subconsciously searching for her. She’s still in the mass of people dancing with a group of girls. Before Valentina can go any further, her heart drops in her chest. 

A man who Valentina assumes is around the same age as them approaches Juliana from behind. He wraps his arms around her waist and hugs her. She watches as Juliana tenses for a moment, but upon recognizing him, she turns and throws her arms around his shoulders, pulling him in for a hug. Valentina thinks that maybe he is just being friendly, and after exchanging pleasantries, he will move on and leave Juliana alone. But instead, he places his hands on her waist and they begin dancing together, much closer and more intimate than friends. 

Valentina feels sick. Maybe she has read this all wrong, and Juliana was just being friendly. Maybe she hasn’t been flirting with her. The club suddenly feels suffocating. She can see Guille sitting on the red lounge still, and Valentina assumes he has his eye on Renata. She can’t speak to him right now. She can’t speak to anyone right now. She hopes Guille has the sense to pick up her bag at the end of the night. Valentina has her phone on her so she can deal without her bag for now. She pulls it out and types a quick text to Alirio as she turns and squeezes past a horde of drunken patrons, making her way out of the club. 

She gulps in the fresh air as she pushes through the heavy doors, her heels clicking on the sidewalk. Valentina takes a moment to calm down her breathing, closing her eyes and willing the lump in her throat to go away. 

How could she be so stupid? 

She looks over to her right and spots some young people stumbling around, laughing and enjoying their time together. She turns and walks down the sidewalk to her left, hurrying down the street towards the pick up point she sent her driver. All she wants now is to go home, have a cold shower, curl up into a ball and let herself feel. 

She hears frantic footsteps coming up behind her. Assuming it is another drunk partygoer, she ignores the approach and continues walking. Suddenly she feels a firm grip on her arm. She whips around as fast as she can, her heart lurching in her chest as she is about to scold the person touching her. Instead, she finds panicked brown eyes staring at her, her eyebrows creased. 

“Juliana?” She breathes, confused. 

“Come here.” She says, and pulls on Valentina’s arm. 

Valentina can’t do much but follow the dark haired woman. She leads them three steps into a small, dark alleyway. Before she can speak, Valentina feels her body being pushed up against the harsh brick wall of the adjoining building, Juliana’s weight pressing deliciously into her. She feels Juliana’s hand grip the back of her neck, her other holding onto her side. They look at each other through the murky darkness, an intensity sizzling between them that knocks the breath out of Valentina’s lungs. 

“I’ve been wanting to kiss you since the moment I saw you.” Juliana’s breaths were quick. Valentina was unsure if it was from nerves or from the exertion of running after her. She could do nothing but look thoughtfully at the woman holding her, a smile slowly forming on her face. Juliana reflected the smile and Valentina felt her chest constrict at the sight. “Val. I want to kiss you.” She whispered, moving closer. She felt Juliana’s nose brush against her own, her lips tantalizingly close, her perfume invading her senses. “Can I kiss you?”

Valentina doesn’t respond with words. She moves forward, closing the gap left between them, pressing her lips softly against Juliana’s. 

Valentina’s world flipped upside down the moment Juliana’s lips moved against hers, her top lip encasing Valentina’s bottom. They sat in the kiss for a moment, letting the feeling of finally connecting like this wash over them. Then they moved in a mutual embrace, bodies shifting slightly and lips moving as they began exploring each other. It was slow and sensual and Valentina couldn’t help the stirring feeling in the pit of her stomach roar to life as her hands wrapped around Juliana’s neck, pulling her closer. The first swipe of Juliana’s tongue against her lip made her heart feel like it was doing back flips. She opened her mouth in the next movement, her eyes closing even tighter as their tongues rolled against one another for the first time. 

It was the most intense kiss she had ever shared, and she poured all of her pent up emotions into it. Juliana pushed her harder into the wall as their hands grappled against one another, pulling at hair, pressing at skin, scraping at clothing. Their lips and tongues kept their slow pace, and Valentina felt Juliana everywhere. Every single sense of hers was alight, invaded entirely by the alluring woman pressing into her. They kissed one another reverently, softly, passionately. Valentina couldn’t help the low growl in her throat as Juliana bit down gently onto her lower lip. 

Reality hit her, and she pulled back abruptly. Juliana’s eyes were wide, her mouth still slightly open as they disconnected. She glanced around quickly and thanked the universe that they were alone. She looked at Juliana again and bit her lip, their chests rising and falling in sync. Juliana gave her a cheeky grin and made to press forward again, but Valentina pushed them away from the wall, keeping her hands firmly on Juliana’s body.

“We can’t do this here. Let’s go back to mine.” She whispered, their faces still close. 

Juliana’s chin raised slightly, and a range of emotions that Valentina was yet to come to know flicked over her face, before she replied. “Yeah, let’s go.” 

Valentina grasped her hand and led her out of the alley and down to the end of the street. Without letting go, they climbed into the back of the SUV together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unfortunately I have to go back to work earlier than expected, so updates might slow up from now on.  
> I'm enjoying writing this story so I hope you guys are enjoying it too. I have all these ideas for stories but I'm never very confident in my ability to tell them. But I always appreciate hearing what you think about it, even if it's that i've done a terrible job!   
> Gotta keep it real ;)


	7. Shiver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They make it back to Valentina's apartment.  
> It's basically a chapter of smut... sorry, not sorry!

The ride back to her apartment was silent. Valentina wasn’t quite sure of what to say. Even if she was able to get a grasp on the million thoughts running through her head, Alirio would be able to hear everything she said. So she held on tight to the hand of the dark haired woman sitting next to her, her lips still tingling from their kiss in the alleyway. She watched the buildings blur past her, darkness enveloping the streets. She noticed Juliana glancing at her every now and then, and occasionally they would make eye contact. The nervous tension was palpable, and Valentina could feel butterflies skip around in her stomach as she gazed into deep brown. 

Her brain was buzzing with anticipation with what exactly she was going to do with Juliana once they arrived at her apartment. Her request for Juliana to accompany her back to her place was very off-the-cuff. She had no idea what Juliana’s intentions were, or what she was even expecting herself. All she knew was she wanted to be close to Juliana. She wanted to feel her everywhere. The thought of it excited her and frightened her at the same time. She had never been intimate with a woman before. She wasn’t sure what scenario she was more nervous about; Juliana kissing her again, or for nothing else to happen between them tonight. Before her mind spiraled into a range of scenarios of Juliana’s kiss not meaning anything more than friends, she felt a gentle squeeze on her hand. 

Juliana was smiling at her with her brow arched. It was then that she noticed the car had pulled to a stop outside of her apartment building. 

“Oh. We’re here.” Valentina commented without making a move to leave the vehicle.

Juliana just nodded. Valentina looked down to their joined hands. With a shaky breath, she asked again, just to be sure. “Do you want to come up?” 

Juliana chuckled silently, her chest rising and falling, a sly smile on her lips. “Yeah. Let’s go up.”

Juliana reached across and opened the door, climbing out with ease. She let go of Valentina’s hand in the process so it was easier for her to follow. 

Valentina thanked Alirio and apologied for it being such a late night. She was grateful for having known the man almost her entire life, and knew she could trust him to be indiscrete.

She pushed the glass door open and as the girls walked through the large, tiled lobby to the elevators, Juliana took Valentina’s hand in hers again. Valentina smiled warmly at the feeling, keeping her eyes forward. 

They made it up to Valentina’s apartment on the 14th floor without saying a word. 

Valentina pulled her key out of her phone case and noticed her hands trembling as she attempted to insert it into the lock. She hoped Juliana didn’t notice her nervousness, finding some confidence to push the door open and step inside. 

“I wasn’t expecting company, so please excuse any mess.” Valentina spoke as she walked further into the apartment.

There was already a lamp on in the living room, a warm yellow glow easily illuminating the space. Valentina threw her phone onto the dining table, kicked off her shoes and stood at the back of the couch, turning to face Juliana. The photographer was still standing at the door, her hands behind her, still clasped over the door handle. 

“I can see you are a very messy person.” She smirked. 

Valentina looked around the apartment and smiled as she understood Juliana was teasing her. It was larger than a regular apartment, but it still felt cozy. A large L shaped lounge sat facing the wall-mounted television beside large floor to ceiling windows wrapping around the entire western wall of the apartment, looking down onto the blinking Mexico City lights below. The dining table sat behind the couch, which then extended out into the open plan kitchen. A hallway stretched out, leading to two bedrooms and bathrooms. The apartment was as tidy as it was when she left it. This was partly due to employing a cleaner to come twice a week, and the fact that she didn’t spend as much time in her apartment as she would like. There was a blanket that had been thrown onto the couch instead of folded up, a mug on the bench beside the sink and some mail scattered on the wooden dining table: the only indication that anyone occupied the space. Everything else was tidy and in place. 

Valentina smiled back at Juliana after inspecting the apartment herself. 

“You can come in, you know. I won’t bite.”

Juliana waited another moment before pushing off the door and walking towards the large windows. “This view is breathtaking.” 

Valentina stepped forwards and stood next to Juliana, admiring the scene below. “It definitely is. It is one of the reasons I bought this place. I wish I spent more time here, to be honest.”

Juliana turned her head to look at Valentina. “Why don’t you?”

Valentina shrugged her shoulders. “I work a lot. And I spend more time than I’d like to admit with my brother at our family home.”

Valentina felt Juliana’s eyes watching her intently. “I get lonely here, sometimes.” She admitted in a whisper. She closed her eyes; internally berating herself for confessing something so personal. Her worries were quickly removed when she felt a warm hand take hers again. 

“I know the feeling.” Juliana replied softly. 

Valentina opened her eyes and observed as brown eyes watched her with openness and sincerity. She felt completely safe and comfortable in the presence of this woman, as if she could tell Juliana her deepest, darkest secrets and she would still be standing her, offering her hand to hold. Her eyes reflexively sought out the plump lips she had pressed against not so long ago. She felt her mouth suddenly go dry, minor anxiety kicking in. She had this beautiful, charming woman standing in her apartment, holding her hand, and she didn’t know what to do. Before she pushed this situation any further, she let go and walked towards the kitchen.

“I need a drink. Would you like one?”

“Yes, please.”

Valentina pulled two glasses from out of the cupboard and placed them on the bench before selecting a cold bottle of water from the fridge and filling up both cups. She took a large gulp from her own glass, before placing both of her hands on the edge of the counter, gripping it tightly. She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. This was a situation she never thought she’d find herself in and she just needed a moment to figure out what she was supposed to do with the dark haired woman now standing in her apartment. She wanted to be close to her, to remember what it felt like to have her pressed against her, to taste her lips and tongue. 

A featherlike touch interrupted her thoughts. Warm fingers pressed lightly into the skin on her arms, drifting from her shoulders down to her wrists. The tension seemed to dissipate from her body at the caring touch, her shoulders physically relaxing and her hands letting go of the stone bench top. 

“What are you thinking about?” Juliana asked into Valentina’s neck. She was standing so close Valentina could feel her hot breath against her skin. 

Valentina huffed out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter as she contemplated vocalizing what she was thinking and feeling to the woman standing so temptingly close to her. 

“I’m thinking about how much I want to touch you.” She murmured into the quiet of the room. The only sounds in the apartment were the low rattle of the refrigerator, the very distant sounds of the city below, and the increasingly heavy breathing coming from both women. 

“So touch me.” 

The whispered words from Juliana sent a shiver down her spine. Valentina’s hands twitched slightly by her sides as Juliana’s fingers continued tracing the skin on her arms. Slowly, Valentina turned around and faced the photographer. Juliana was standing so close that Valentina could inspect every inch of her skin, notice every little mark on her face, and could only see beauty before her. She looked at her deep brown eyes and took a shaky breath. 

“What are you so afraid of?”

Valentina’s lips twitched up when Juliana’s question hung in the air. 

“I’ve never been with a woman before.” She confessed, feeling slightly silly as the words tumbled from her lips. 

Juliana’s eyebrows quirked slightly, an innocent look adorning her face. “Neither have I.” 

“Aren’t you nervous?” She asked lowly.

“I’ve never been so nervous in my life.” Juliana whispered, her eyes moving from Valentina’s eyes to her lips. “But, I’ve also never wanted anything so much in my life.” Her movements up and down Valentina’s arms stopped and she grasped Valentina’s hand. “I think we can figure it out as we go.” 

Juliana’s cheeky smile faded as Valentina removed her hand from Juliana’s grip and traced her fingers lightly from her chin to her ear. Valentina watched in awe as her expression moved from amused to hunger with just a touch. She moved forward as her fingers tangled into Juliana’s hair at the base of her neck, her lips millimeters away from Juliana’s. “I want you, too.” She breathed before finally connecting.

The soft touch of Juliana’s lips was intoxicating. They kissed slowly at first, Juliana’s hands finding their place on Valentina’s hips, pulling their bodies closer in the embrace. After the first few unhurried kisses, Valentina wasted no time in deepening it. With the next press, Valentina’s tongue lightly teased Juliana’s lips. Valentina could hear Juliana breath in through her nose as their tongues massaged each other in the next movement, and Valentina felt her heart rate spike immediately. Her desire to be intimate with this gorgeous woman was beginning to overtake any rational thought, her body beginning to spiral out of control. 

Valentina pushed forward, walking Juliana backwards until she hit the island bench. A small sound escaped Juliana as Valentina kissed her eagerly, shamelessly, fervently. Valentina felt like every hair on her body was standing up, her senses alert and her skin felt like it was on fire. Juliana responded by gripping her hips, fingers pressing hard into the skin there. Valentina felt Juliana’s hands move to the small of her back and press her again, their bodies flush against one another. 

They barely detached, their mouths only surfacing for air when absolutely necessary. Valentina’s hands fell to Juliana’s shoulders, then down her sides and under her shirt. Juliana lifted her arms in permission and Valentina pulled away for the second it took to rip it off. She noticed the color change in Juliana’s eyes, the darkest she had ever seen them, and appreciated the small pout on her swollen lips. She took no more time in reconnecting them, her hands doing their best to explore the smooth skin on Juliana’s back as their lips and tongues collided. 

Valentina heard rather than felt Juliana find the zipper on her back. The cool night air touched her exposed skin and she shivered slightly. The dress immediately fell off her shoulders, and Valentina happily shimmied the dress down her arms and off her body, her lips never leaving Juliana’s. 

There was something about the hurriedness of their encounter that made the blood rush through Valentina’s veins. She couldn’t help herself as her hands pushed, pressed and clawed at the skin on Juliana’s body. She was reacting the only way her body knew how, and she felt an unexpected wetness in her panties as Juliana’s lips moved away from hers and began planting wet, open-mouthed kisses along her jawline and down her neck. Her body had never reacted so instinctually to another person before. Valentina’s hands tangled in the dark locks of Juliana’s hair, pressing her closer to her. She was panting heavily and she let out a whimper when Juliana locked onto her pulse point, sucking and licking with vigor. 

_“Fuck.”_ She couldn’t help her verbal response to the woman’s attentions. 

“You like that?” Juliana mumbled as she kissed her way back to Valentina’s mouth. 

“Very much.” She replied faintly before taking Juliana’s tongue in her mouth and sucking gently, eliciting a small moan from the dark haired woman. 

Valentina squirmed at the continued wetness developing in her panties. She would normally be embarrassed by her body’s response, but she was too enraptured in the moment to care. She realized quickly she was the only one standing in her underwear so she swiftly brought her hands down to Juliana’s jeans and fumbled with the buttons. Once successful, she pulled them down Juliana’s legs and the photographer kicked them off completely. 

They stopped for a moment, holding one another close, watching as their chests heaved between them. 

Juliana smiled up at Valentina, her fingers gently tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “You’re beautiful.” 

Valentina gazed into dark brown and all she saw was yearning and complete sincerity with her declaration. Her heart lurched in her chest, a feeling she couldn’t quite pinpoint settling deep in her bones. This was sex, and she knew that. But it felt like something more, something deeper. She should be unsettled by the heaviness of it, of feeling this much this quickly. The look of the woman in front of her pulled her out of her own thoughts. 

“As are you.” She replied before connecting their lips once more. Valentina didn’t think she could ever tire of the feeling of Juliana’s soft lips massaging against her own. It was the purest sensation she had ever had the pleasure of experiencing in her life so far. She had been an addict previously, and she cursed herself for wasting time on alcohol when she could have lost herself in these lips instead. It was a no brainer.

Valentina felt her fingers grasping at the clip holding Juliana’s bra on, biting down onto her bottom lip when she felt the material separate and fall down Juliana’s arms. Juliana pushed Valentina off her body gently as she let the garment fall to the floor of the kitchen, joining the rest of their discarded clothes. A moment of silence fell on them as Valentina took in the image standing in front of her. Juliana stood in the middle of her kitchen with nothing but a simple pair of black lacy panties on. Her breasts were small but supple, her nipples slightly darker than Valentina’s. She was perfect.

Without waiting for Juliana to help, Valentina immediately unclipped her own bra and let it slide down her arms and fall to the floor. 

Valentina was so overwhelmed with desire that she knew she could take Juliana right there. She wanted to, her body was screaming at her to reach out and touch her in all the places she knew Juliana wanted to be touched. But she didn’t want their first time to be on the cold bench top of her expensive kitchen. So instead she reached out and pulled Juliana towards the hallway.

“What are we doing?” Juliana giggled behind her.

“I don’t want to have you in my kitchen. I want you under me when I touch you.” 

“You are full of surprises.” Juliana snickered as they stumbled into her bedroom.

There was no light on in the room, but the full moon shining in through the large windows was enough to lighten the space. Valentina led Juliana to her bed and pushed her gently onto it, her back landing with a light huff, her hair splayed out on the white duvet. 

Valentina took a moment to look at the view in front of her, before hovering her body over Juliana’s. The girls silently shuffled to the head of the bed, their eyes never wavering. When Juliana settled on the pillows, Valentina finally lowered her body down, relishing in the warm soft skin below her as they connected. 

Juliana’s hands held Valentina’s face, bringing their lips together in a heated mess of teeth and tongue. Valentina wanted nothing more than to devour the goddess below her in any way she knew how. With Valentina’s previous apprehension long gone, her instinct to make this woman feel good overtook any other thought. 

She released her lips from Juliana’s and pressed kisses down her neck, her teeth grazing the sensitive skin there. She felt Juliana squirm underneath her and smiled against her skin. She continued her way south, kissing and biting the tender skin in her path. Her left hand found Juliana’s breast and she squeezed it lightly, noticing the breathing of the woman below her hitch with the touch. She found the courage to press kisses around her other breast, finally sucking a nipple into her mouth. She teased it, licked it, sucked it and felt it go hard under her attentions. She was beyond turned on with the sounds Juliana was making, and the way her body responded to her touch. 

“Fuck, Val. This feels so good.”

Valentina hummed against the skin she was caressing. “Tell me what you want.” 

“Val.” She whimpered. _“I want you to fuck me.”_

Those six simple words made Valentina’s head spin. Her lips released Juliana’s nipple and she sat back. Her fingers found the band of Juliana’s underwear and she slowly pulled it down her legs and threw it onto the ground beside the bed. Her own underwear joined Juliana’s in the next moment and she settled back on Juliana’s body, kissing her deeply. Valentina was aware of the sticky wetness on her thigh, her brain unable to process just how she was affecting this beautiful woman below her. 

Valentina’s thigh pressed into Juliana’s center, a small moan encouraging Valentina to grind gently against her. A shooting zing of pleasure hit her own center as Juliana adjusted her own leg to press into her. 

“God.” She breathed, her face inches away from Juliana’s. 

They continued their slow grinding, but Valentina realized she was getting too lost in the soft movements they were making against one another. She wanted to touch Juliana with more than just a push of her thigh. She wanted to feel more of her. Valentina adjusted her legs slightly and a small whine left Juliana at the loss of contact.

Valentina didn’t let Juliana wait long. Her fingers flicked Juliana’s nipple before moving down her stomach and into trimmed hairs, before plunging into the abundant wetness between her legs. 

“Yes.” Juliana hissed out as Valentina slowly dragged her fingers through her folds. 

“Fuck, you’re so wet.” Valentina bit her lip and closed her eyes at the sensation of feeling Juliana like this.

“It’s never felt like this before.” Juliana grunted as Valentina circled Juliana’s clit. 

Valentina continued exploring Juliana, pressing and flicking, quickly determining what the girl below her liked. She slowly rubbed the bundle of nerves and Juliana moaned the loudest yet. 

“If you keep teasing me like this…” 

“What are you going to do?” Valentina whispered back playfully. 

“You’ll pay for it later.”

Valentina took Juliana’s bottom lip into her mouth as she pushed two fingers slowly into the dark haired woman. There was no resistance as the other girl was basically dripping with want. Valentina started a slow pace, pulling her fingers out and back in again, enjoying watching the shivers of pleasure ripple across Juliana’s skin. 

“You feel so good like this, Juls.”

Valentina picked up her pace, reading Juliana’s body as if she’d known her for a lifetime. 

“Deeper.” 

Juliana’s hips met Valentina’s rhythm, and they continued working together to reach Juliana’s release. Valentina watched Juliana squeeze her eyes shut, felt her nails scrape down her back and clutch at her ass. She moved her body between Juliana’s legs so she was able to drive her hips into Juliana, pushing ever deeper into the gorgeous woman moaning for her. 

“You like this?”

“Fuck yes.” Juliana puffed out between thrusts. 

Valentina felt the signs of Juliana getting closer to reaching her climax. Her fingers were tightening inside Juliana as her walls clenched around her.

“Look at me.” Valentina breathed. She wanted to watch Juliana as she came apart. There was nothing more she wanted in the whole world. 

Juliana opened her eyes and Valentina got lost in the faraway look in her eye. She knew what she needed to do. She brought her thumb up to Juliana’s clit and began rubbing it lightly, continuing her deep thrusts. 

She felt Juliana’s hands release her firm grip on her ass, her palms resting on either side of Valentina’s face, bringing their foreheads together. 

“I’m close. I’m so close.” 

Valentina began curling her fingers into Juliana, pressing into the soft flesh inside her. “Come for me, baby.”

A long drawn out expletive rolled off Juliana’s lips along with Valentina’s name. A few more thrusts and Juliana’s whole body shook beneath her. Her head rolled back on the pillow, her eyes squeezed shut tightly, her back arched slightly off the bed and the loudest moan Valentina has ever heard reverberated around the room as Juliana’s orgasm hit her like a freight train. Valentina continued curling her fingers deep inside Juliana as her body continued to quiver. When she felt Juliana’s body relax and sink into the bed, she slowly slid her fingers out of her and wiped them unashamedly on the duvet. 

Valentina’s arm gave out and she fell onto the bed next to Juliana. She nuzzled into Juliana’s neck as the dark haired woman attempted to get a hold of her rapid breathing. Valentina’s hand rested on Juliana’s chest, just over her heart. The hand Valentina wasn’t lying on came up to rest on top of Valentina’s. The women lay there until Juliana came back to the present, her fingers lazily stroking Valentina’s hand on her chest. 

Valentina moved back when Juliana shifted. Suddenly, the photographer was hovering over her. 

“You are amazing.” She chuckled, licking her lips. 

She leant down and kissed Valentina, the heat in her core roaring back to life at the intensity of it. Valentina could only respond, her tongue licking desperately into Juliana’s mouth. She would happily lie there and kiss the mysterious woman for hours if she could, but she couldn’t deny the growing need pulsing through her body. She squirmed subconsciously, but Juliana noticed Valentina’s impatience and smiled into the kiss. 

Juliana’s lips smacked hot, wet kisses down Valentina’s neck and chest. Valentina had never really found much delight in her partners paying attention to her breasts. She guessed their harsh squeezing and inattentiveness to how Valentina’s body responded to their brash actions impacted on her ability to enjoy the sensations. So the feeling of Juliana kissing and sucking on her breasts and nipples took her completely by surprise. It sent shivers down her spine when Juliana’s teeth played delicately with her stiff nipple, it forced her eyes closed in bliss when her fingers rolled her nipple between them. 

Juliana’s lips were back on hers, her fingers trailing down her sides, her skin breaking out in goose bumps in their wake. The groan that forced its way out of her throat was completely involuntary, but necessary due to the overwhelming pleasure she felt when Juliana’s fingers glided gently through her folds. Her fingers squeezed into Juliana’s skin on her bicep and neck when Juliana’s fingers circled lightly on her clit. She moaned her name when Juliana pressed two fingers slowly into her. 

“I like it when you say it like that.” Juliana panted, her fingers sliding deliciously in and out of Valentina. 

“Juls.” Valentina repeated. 

“Mmmm. Like that.” 

Valentina could do nothing but pant, writhe and cling onto Juliana as she gave her body over to the beautiful woman on top of her. Sex had never been this pleasurable before, not in any circumstance with any man. She briefly wondered if sex was like this with any woman, but she had a fair idea it was just the captivating woman pushing delightfully into her. Her legs fell open even further, allowing Juliana to push deeper. 

“Fuck, Juls. Keep going.” She cried out, unable to control herself. 

Valentina was in ecstasy, happily riding the wave of pleasure, aware of her impending climax. 

“I want to taste you.” Valentina heard it and her body trembled with anticipation. Before she could react, Juliana had kissed her way down Valentina’s body, fingers stilled inside her, before she pressed one delicate kiss onto her clit. 

“God.” Valentina whined into the darkness of her bedroom. She closed her eyes, allowing her body to feel everything Juliana could give her. 

It didn’t take long for Juliana to pick up her pace again, but this time, she coupled the sensation with licks on her clit. Valentina’s hands clawed at the sheets below, her body shaking as she felt the peak of the mountain approaching. 

“You taste so good.” Juliana spoke into her center, her hot breath tickling the wet flesh.

“Fuck, Juls. Don’t stop. Please.” 

Juliana continued kissing and licking at Valentina’s clit, Valentina’s fingers weaving their way into Juliana’s hair, her own way of telling her to stay. And as Juliana brought Valentina’s clit into her mouth and sucked while curling her fingers deep inside, Valentina cried out into the night as an orgasm coursed through her whole body. It felt like an earthquake running through her veins, every atom in her being lighting on fire. She shivered; eyes slammed shut, body quaking under Juliana’s.

She doesn’t know how long she lay there catching her breath, but when she opened her eyes again, Juliana was laying next to her with a sly grin on her face. Valentina rolled over to face her, her body already aching deliciously. 

“Are you sure you haven’t been with a woman before?” Valentina whispered, one hand under her face while the other sought out the smooth skin on Juliana’s hip. 

“I was going to ask you the same thing.” 

They lay there in the dark, facing one another, breathing one another in as their heartbeats attempted to slow down. 

“It’s never felt like that for me before.” Valentina confessed to the brown eyes gazing at her. 

Juliana offered her a lopsided grin. “Me either.”

“Do you think it’s because our previous partners haven’t been any good?” Valentina asked aloud, her internal thoughts escaping her lips before Valentina could process them herself. 

Juliana took a moment to consider the question, her eyes never leaving Valentina’s. Her free hand came up to stroke Valentina’s collarbone, moving softly over her skin to her shoulder, finally resting on her neck. 

“I’m not sure.” She whispered. “But I think it might have something to do with it being us. You.” Her expression was serious, a crease appearing between her brows. 

Valentina didn’t quite understand the response, her own brows knotting slightly. “What do you mean?”

Juliana smiled, pushing in closer and pressing a soft kiss on her cheek. Valentina was immediately overwhelmed with the scent of Juliana, her hand gripping tighter onto her hip. “Let’s not overthink it right now.” She whispered against her lips. “Right now, I want to see if it’s as good the second time around.”

Valentina giggled as Juliana moved over her again, pressing their bodies together, smattering her face with kisses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to add their morning after conversation in this chapter but it got a little big and I'm impatient so i'll just add it to the start of the next one. I hope you enjoyed!


	8. Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t want to feel like your dirty little secret any longer, Valentina.”

Dull morning light invaded Valentina’s bedroom, slowly waking her from her slumber. As she began to stir, her limbs pushed against another warm presence in her bed. She stilled immediately, opening her eyes to find long, dark hair spread out over the pillow next to her, and a naked shoulder and back peaking out beneath her beige sheets. Valentina blinked a couple of times, her sleepy mind attempting to catch up with her current situation. 

She wasn’t sure what Juliana was expecting to come from their intimate evening. She hesitated, wondering whether she should cuddle in or remove herself from her own bedroom and talk to Juliana in another, less enticing space. She didn’t want to overwhelm the girl, or come across as too eager. But the longer she thought about it, the more she realized she wanted to stay. Her arms were aching to curl around the woman sleeping peacefully in front of her. 

Moving slowly, she pushed forwards. Her right arm rested over Juliana’s stomach as Valentina’s front pressed against her warm back. Valentina buried her head into Juliana’s hair, breathing her in. She got comfortable and her heart skipped a beat when she felt Juliana wriggle closer, their bodies firmly pressed together. She couldn’t help herself with all this bare skin in front of her, against her. She began pressing delicate kisses along the soft skin on Juliana’s neck and shoulder. She reveled in the warmth of the woman and was rewarded with an indulgent groan from Juliana’s throat. 

She pulled back and let Juliana turn in her embrace. Juliana’s hand found Valentina’s hip, and she immediately pulled her close again once she was comfortable. Their noses were only a few inches apart, still sharing the same pillow. Valentina’s leg nestled between Juliana’s, their hands resting contentedly on the other. Valentina struggled to recall a morning she had woken up in such a tranquil and satisfied state. 

“Good morning.” Juliana said groggily, her eyes still closed. 

Valentina bit down on her lower lip, overwhelmed by how adorable Juliana looked this early in the morning. Her lips were pouted and her eyelashes were devastatingly long. She had a fleeting thought that this was something she could get used to, waking up next to this dark haired beauty, their bodies pressed tight. It felt as though they were wrapped in a bubble of bliss, and no one could break it. Or at least, she didn’t want it to break.

“Yes, it is.” She replied quietly, her eyes memorizing all of Juliana’s features. 

A small smile adorned Juliana’s pouted lips, her cheeks lifting and eyes creasing as she did so. She finally opened her eyes, and Valentina was shocked to find them much lighter in the early morning light. Maybe it was because they were so close, maybe it was the different lighting, or maybe it was just her eyes in the morning and Valentina had never yet had the opportunity to notice. But she didn’t let this occasion go to waste as she gazed into her eyes, noticing they were less chocolate in this moment, and more caramel. 

“What are you looking at?” 

Valentina smirked at Juliana’s tone, playful but still laced with sleep. 

“You.” She stated simply. 

Juliana’s expression shifted as Valentina’s eyes continued to trace the lines on her face. Her mouth opened marginally, her eyebrows raised slightly. 

Without any more words, Juliana closed the distance between them, her lips capturing Valentina’s in a smooth and tender kiss. Valentina smiled as she reciprocated the embrace, her heart lifting at the slow motion Juliana began. It didn’t take long for Valentina to feel a quick swipe of Juliana’s tongue on her lips, before they continued into a deep and sucking kiss. Their hands pressed eagerly into the others skin, the importance of feeling one another closer overtaking any rational thought. There was no space left between them as they pushed against one another, each taking deep breaths through their noses so as to not break the languid caress of their lips. 

Valentina’s hand had a mind of its own. It lightly traced Juliana’s soft skin down her side to her hip, before slipping in between her legs. She broke the kiss with a small gasp as she felt Juliana’s wetness on her fingers. Valentina opened her eyes to find Juliana’s closed again, her features relaxed except for the gnawing of her bottom lip. 

As Valentina’s fingers continued gently circling Juliana’s clit and trailing through her folds, teasing her entrance, she nudged Juliana’s nose with her own. Finally, Juliana’s eyes opened, though not fully, too overcome with arousal. The previous caramel Valentina had admired not long ago had disappeared, and had been replaced entirely by the darkest brown she had ever seen. 

“I know I should be embarrassed by how wet you make me, but I’m not.” She huffed through pouted lips. 

“Definitely no need to be embarrassed. I’m the same.” Valentina replied in a hoarse whisper. 

Valentina increased the pressure on Juliana’s clit and watched her eyes roll back a little. 

“I think I need to check that for myself.” 

Juliana’s own hand found its place between Valentina’s legs, her fingers immediately finding an abundance of wet heat. Valentina smirked as a small look of surprise appeared on Juliana’s face. 

“See?”

“Mmm-hmmm.” Was all Juliana could offer as Valentina’s fingers slowly entered her. Juliana didn’t mess around as her fingers copied Valentina’s movements shortly after. Valentina lunged forward and bit down gently on Juliana’s lip as she felt the dark-haired woman’s fingers push up into her. 

“I’ve never had morning sex before.” Valentina confessed. She didn’t know why she said it out loud. Her brain was malfunctioning, the overwhelming pleasure pulsing in her abdomen rendering her ability to control her thoughts useless. 

“Why not?” Juliana whispered against her lips as they shared the same air. 

_“Fuck.”_ She groaned as Juliana curled her fingers delectably inside her. “I’ve never liked anyone enough, or wanted it enough, I guess.” 

Juliana kissed her hard, her tongue flicking into her mouth desperately. They continued their slow press into one another as they kissed, their hips gentle movements under the sheets causing them to fall away from their bodies, leaving them exposed to the cool morning air. They fucked one another slowly, desperately, wantonly, and as they both reached their climax, they held one another tight, kissing as much skin as their lips could reach. 

“Me either.” Juliana whispered through labored breaths, pressing a delicate kiss on the tip of Valentina’s nose. 

As their lungs successfully recovered and their heart rates eventually reached regular resting beats, they continued to lie facing one another, foreheads pressed together. 

“What are you thinking about?” Valentina broke the silence, her soft voice interrupting the quietness of the morning. 

Juliana pulled back, her brown eyes creased, a look of concern flitting across her features. All Valentina could do was watch as she assumed the photographer attempted to figure out what to say. 

“Do you really want to know?” Juliana finally asked.

“Yes. Always.” 

Juliana narrowed her eyes slightly with a smirk on her face before she spoke. “You.” She shrugged gently at the admission. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since I saw you at the Angel photo shoot.”

Valentina couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face at Juliana’s words. It was like music to her ears, finally hearing that this beautiful woman in her arms possibly also felt the intensity of this connection as well. 

“What?” Juliana giggled, shoving Valentina’s shoulder playfully, a light blush flourishing on her face and neck.

“Why?” Valentina was curious to know what it was that Juliana had felt from that moment they first met.

Juliana rolled onto her back, bringing her hand that wasn’t trapped under Valentina up to massage her own scalp, her fingers running through her hair rhythmically. Valentina happily watched as Juliana processed her thoughts, admiring the woman’s profile. 

“You were just so fascinating from the moment I saw you, scurrying along the ground picking up everything you had knocked off that table.” Juliana smiled as she recalled the memory. “Obviously I knew who you were. Not only had I seen you in the papers, but I also knew you were the one who had written the story on Angel. I was expecting you to appear at some point because Luana had told me you would be there.” Juliana turned her head then to look at Valentina, her body still lying flat on her back. “I was curious to meet you. But then when I saw you, crouched low, embarrassed about knocking all that stuff over, I was immediately drawn to you.” Juliana huffed out one single skeptical laugh. “I don’t know, this sounds stupid.” She turned her head to face back to the ceiling. 

Valentina placed one hand on Juliana’s chest, just above her heart. She took a moment to feel the steady thumping beneath.

“No. It doesn’t sound stupid at all.” She whispered. “Why do you think I knocked that table over?”

Juliana chuckled. “Because you’re clumsy. Have you seen those long limbs of yours?” 

“Hey!” Valentina laughed indignantly, enjoying Juliana’s playful nature. “I bumped into that table because I couldn’t take my eyes off you.” She mumbled into Juliana’s shoulder, unsure of how far she should go. When Juliana’s eyes locked with her again, a surprised look on her face, she found the confidence to continue. “You took my breath away. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you, either.”

Juliana returned slowly to her previous position, facing Valentina. She smiled as she leaned in and Valentina sighed with contentment as they kissed. Pure, complete happiness coursed through her veins, filling her chest and settling into every crevice of her soul as she kissed her back. Valentina understood she was feeling too much too soon, but she had never done things in halves. She was either all in, or not interested at all. It was the same with friendships, relationships, work, and unfortunately, alcohol. She poured her heart and soul into her desires, treating her close friends like royalty, going above and beyond for her family members and working long, hard hours. It was that same passionate personality trait that led Valentina to her alcohol addiction. She had not, however, felt this intensely for someone romantically before. Never before had she experienced the overwhelming desire to be near someone, to hear their laugh, to touch them, to kiss them. She knew she shouldn’t dive into this head first, that she should be cautious, because she knew what could happen if this all fell apart.

“What do we do now?” Juliana’s soft voice broke her internal monologue. 

She opened her eyes to see Juliana looking just as lost as she felt. She smiled at the thought. 

“I think we take it slow. Get to know one another. How does that sound?”

Juliana smiled and nodded her head. “Yeah. That sounds good.”

************************

“I like your hair like this.” Valentina gestured with a flick of her head as she lifted the coffee cup to her lips. She had been admiring Juliana’s long, dark locks as they sat in the afternoon sun out the front of their new favorite café. Her hair was down, parted in the middle, with a delicate wave giving it some body.

She watched as Juliana tucked one side behind her ear, exposing a small gold hoop earring. “Good to know.” She grinned in response. 

“Actually, I like it up as well. It accentuates that adorable jaw of yours.” Valentina smiled as leaned across and lightly caressed her chin, watching as Juliana blushed with all the compliments. 

“Stop it.” Juliana giggled self-consciously, licking her lips before taking a sip of her own drink. 

It had been four weeks since they began officially getting to know one another. It had easily been the best four weeks of Valentina’s life. She discovered quickly how easy it was to be around Juliana. There was no pressure to be someone she wasn’t, and she craved Juliana’s company. She wanted to be around her all the time, and when they weren’t together, she couldn’t stop thinking about her. It was as simple as breathing, and Juliana was like a breath of fresh air in Valentina’s life. Her writing had been the best it had ever been and she hadn’t even thought about alcohol in four weeks. Her family and friends were commenting on her improved mood, delighted at Valentina’s constant smile and perpetual chirpy attitude. It’s not that she wasn’t pleasant before, but the Valentina from before her father died had slowly resurfaced. 

She was spending more time at home, but instead of feeling loneliness and emptiness in the large apartment, it was filled with laughter and conversation. Juliana had slept over every single night since their first time, and there was no longer a millimeter of Juliana’s skin Valentina hadn’t tasted. She was completely insatiable, and she was thrilled to learn that Juliana was just as desperate for sex as she was. They consumed one another whenever they had the chance, and Valentina couldn’t believe that the novelty of being with Juliana never lessened. If anything, her desires to be with the woman just grew more intense with more time they spent together. 

During the week they had coffee dates, elaborate dinners, intimate breakfasts. They spent every minute of every weekend together and Valentina enjoyed every moment of it, whether it be walking the streets of Mexico City side by side, picnicking in the park, dancing around her apartment while cooking dinner or cuddling up on the couch to watch a film. 

At Valentina’s insistence, they had kept their courtship a secret from their families and friends. She needed time to wrap around her head around the fact that one day, she would have to tell her brother and sister that she wanted to date a woman. It felt strange, because it already felt like they were dating, but she was nervous about their reaction. She had her reputation, and the company’s reputation to think about. She made a point not to think about it because the sinking feeling of being rejected by her family, or being directed to not pursue a relationship with Juliana, crushed her. She couldn’t choose and she hoped she never had to.

“What do you want to do tonight?” Juliana asked as she placed her cup back down on the table and sat back in her chair, relaxed, looking at Valentina from over the top of her sunglasses.

“I was thinking we could go to the movies? Maybe have a little make out session in the dark. What do you think?” 

Juliana laughed, her head thrown back, sunlight glinting off her hair. “Like teenagers?” She questioned lightheartedly.

Valentina just nodded, a huge smile on her face. Juliana’s laugh was the most exquisite sound in the world and she would do anything to hear it at any time. 

“Sounds perfect, Val.”

They continued smiling at one another before a familiar voice called her name. 

“Valentina?”

Valentina looked up at the direction of the sound, straight into the sun. She squinted her eyes, bringing her arm in front of her face to adjust to the light. Nayeli stood in front of her smiling. 

“Valentina! It’s so great to see you.” She beamed, reaching down and placing a kiss on Valentina’s cheek. 

“Nayeli. Hi. How are you? It’s been so long.” Valentina stuttered, surprised at the appearance of her old friend. 

“I’m fantastic. But, how are you?” 

Valentina stiffened slightly at her condescending tone. 

Nayeli had been a high school friend. She was a part of the group of people she had surrounded herself with after her father died. She had been one of her ‘friends’ who had encouraged her lifestyle of partying, drinking and drugs. She had hung off Lucho like a leech, desperate for his attention. Once Valentina and Lucho had parted ways, Valentina was not shocked to hear that not long after, Nayeli and Lucho officially declared themselves an item. Valentina hadn’t cared at the time, too preoccupied by her own suffering and pain to worry about her ex’s actions with another woman.

“I’m great, Nayeli.” She replied. She was doing her best to be polite, but she hoped her posture and tone gave off the vibe that she didn’t want to continue this conversation much further. 

Nayeli continued to stand there, looking down at them. Her eyes landed on Juliana. 

“Hi. I’m Nayeli. An old friend of Valentina’s.” She offered her hand to Juliana, who took it hesitantly. Valentina could see Juliana had picked up on her disinterest. 

“This is my friend, Juliana.” Valentina introduced them. 

She didn’t miss the flick of Juliana’s eyes to her own, a flash of hurt crossing her features. 

“It’s lovely to meet you.” Nayeli let go of Juliana, facing Valentina again. 

“What have you been up to, Valentina?”

Valentina took in a deep breath before she spoke. “Just work, really. Nothing very interesting.” She hoped her nonchalant tone caught on. She just watched as Nayeli continued to look down on her, and Valentina thought she saw pity in her expression. There was no way she was having that. “How is Lucho?” She asked, feigning interest.

Nayeli stood straighter, her smile turning into a grimace. “We aren’t together anymore.” She stated, before pulling her bag closer to her body. “Well, it’s been nice running into you, Valentina. I hope to see you around.” And with that, she departed. Valentina watched as she walked away, down the street. 

She shook her head, turning back to Juliana. 

“What was that about?” 

Valentina just shrugged dismissively. “Just someone from a part of my past I’d rather forget about.”

Juliana sighed, an awkward silence settling over them. 

“What’s wrong?” Valentina asked, her brows creasing. Juliana’s whole demeanor had changed. She was slouched in her chair, her head resting in the palm of her hand, concern etched on her face. 

“What are we doing, Val?” Juliana asked, exasperated. 

“What do you mean? We’re having coffee. We’ll go to the cinema soon.” 

Juliana’s hand dropped into her lap. She clasped her hands together and leaned forward. 

“You know that’s not what I meant. I mean with us. What do you want to come from this?” She said, gesturing between them. 

Valentina felt her heart drop into her stomach. She wasn’t ready to face this. She hadn’t figured it out yet. She needed more time.

She squeezed her eyes shut in frustration at the situation she found herself in. There was nothing more she wanted than to tell the world how much the woman in front of her meant to her. But she had bigger things to think about, to worry about. 

“You know I want you, Juls.”

“Well then, what are we waiting for? I’m sick of being introduced to people as your friend. I don’t want to just be your friend, Val.” Her voice was strained and Valentina’s hope to deal with this and move on began slipping. 

“Juls, I can’t do that right now. You know I can’t.”

“Why not?” She questioned, throwing her hands into the air. 

“I haven’t told my family yet. This is bigger than just us. I have to think about my family, our company. The press will be all over this.” She stumbled over her words, desperate to placate Juliana. She couldn’t let this spiral out of control. 

“I don’t want to wait any longer. I’m sick of sneaking around. I can’t even hold your hand in public.” She leaned even further forward and whispered. “I know what you taste like, Val, and I can’t even hold your hand when we walk down the street.”

Valentina clenched her hands into fists on the table. “Juls, that’s not fair. You know why we can’t.”

“We can’t because you’re too scared to come out.” Valentina could hear the tremble in her voice, but the clench of her jaw showed her frustration too. 

Valentina brought her hands up to her temple, pressing into them. She could feel the headache forming.

“Do you not like being with me?” Juliana asked seriously. 

“Of course I do –“

“That should be enough, Val.”

“God, Juls.”

“I don’t want to feel like your dirty little secret any longer, Valentina.” 

Juliana sat back in her chair, arms crossed, watching her intently. 

“Juls...” Valentina whined. 

“I want you, Val. I want you with every single fiber of my being. I want to introduce you to my friends and family as my girlfriend. I want to hold your hand, kiss you, hug you when we’re waiting in line to get food or when we’re walking through the park. I want you as mine more than I’ve wanted anything in my whole life. I can’t hide it any more. I won’t do it.” 

Valentina felt her face crumble, tears stinging her eyes. Never has she been so conflicted. In front of her sat the woman she wanted to spend all of her time with, spilling her heart out, yet her family’s legacy was niggling at her from the back of her mind. She sat there, completely dumbfounded, unsure of what to say or do. 

After an unknown amount of time passed and Valentina failed to speak, Juliana’s mouth downturned and she shook her head. She slowly pushed her chair back and collected her bag. 

“You know where to find me if you figure it out.” She choked before standing up and walking away. 

_“Juls.”_ Valentina cried out after her, standing, her knees shaking. Her arm was outstretched as she called out again, but Juliana kept walking away from her, her dark hair soon disappearing into the crowd of people enjoying their Saturday afternoon. She looked down to see her hands trembling, before her vision was clouded with hot tears. She sat back down in her seat, head in her hands, and wept, her heart aching in her chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for this one taking a little longer than normal. Work has been ca-razy!  
> I know they only just got together, but don't stress...!
> 
> As always, feedback is always appreciated :)


	9. Alight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valentina gets some things off her chest and receives some helpful advice.

“Here you go, boss.”

Valentina lifted her head from her desk slowly and watched as Luana placed her fourth steaming cup of coffee in front of her. Her brain appreciated the brief respite from her internal aching as the pungent scent of caffeine invaded her nostrils. She had barely slept a wink since Saturday, and it was certainly catching up with her. She knew she looked terrible. Big bags sat heavy beneath her eyes, her shoulders were constantly slumped over and her movements were listless and sluggish. She had barely written a single word all week and her deadlines were creeping up on her. Usually she took pride in her work, but at the moment, she couldn’t care any less. 

“Do you want to talk about anything? Or can I call Guille?” Luana asked, her voice soft.

Valentina’s eyes shifted gradually from the brown liquid in front of her to the concerned gaze of her assistant. 

“No, Luana. Thank you. I’ll be fine.” Her voice sounded hoarse and unlike her own. She cleared her throat and rubbed her eyes.

“You know, I’m always here if you need.” Luana spoke with sincerity and with a final worried smile, she turned and left Valentina’s office. 

Luana had been pressing Valentina since she saw her on Monday morning, questioning if she was okay, probing with her own thoughts about why Valentina seemed so down in the dumps. It was a drastic change in demeanor from the Valentina she had come to enjoy over the past month. By Thursday, her playful prodding turned into genuine unease about Valentina’s wellbeing. Valentina knew it was obvious something was wrong, but she just couldn’t pick herself up enough to put on a brave face and pretend everything was okay. That still didn’t mean she had to tell anyone anything. She could deal with it herself.

Valentina placed her head back down on the desk and closed her eyes, the headache that had developed on Saturday afternoon still thumping at the front of her skull. She quickly discovered that every time she cried, it just made it worse. Unfortunately, she didn’t have control over her tears. They betrayed her constantly, sliding down her cheeks at any time of the day and night. 

She found herself replaying the events of last Saturday afternoon over and over in her head. She felt sick to the stomach about her actions, or lack thereof. She had just sat there, silent, while Juliana laid everything out for her. She had let her down, disappointed the one person who had made her the happiest she could remember for a long time. She couldn’t shake the hurt expression Juliana had left with and she couldn’t forget the crack in Juliana’s voice as she said her last words. Her bed felt cold and empty without Juliana by her side. Her apartment lacked the air of contentment Juliana had brought into it, turning back into the cold, lonely place it had been before her welcome arrival. She couldn’t escape it. It was suffocating. 

She stood up, finished the still hot coffee in four mouthfuls, picked up her handbag and stepped out of her office. 

“I’m going home for the day.” She said to Luana impassively and without stopping to look at her.

She watched the green light surround the button as she pressed it and stepped back, waiting for the elevator to arrive to her floor. A warm hard gently grasped her forearm. She turned her head to find Luana’s dark eyes contemplating her. 

“Whatever it is, it can be fixed.” She quavered. “You are strong, Vale. You have people around you who love you. Lean on them. Let them help you.” 

Valentina clenched her jaw, blinking back fresh tears. She nodded her head as the elevator dinged behind her. Luana let go of her arm as Valentina pulled away and stepped inside. She turned to face her assistant again. Luana’s face was etched with fear and she knew why. Valentina didn’t have the best history of dealing with her problems in the most conventional of ways, so Luana had every right to worry about Valentina. All she could think about was escaping her current reality, and she knew exactly how to do it. 

“Fix it, Vale. Don’t make it worse.” 

The doors closed between them as Luana’s words reached her. She looked up to the bright ceiling of the elevator, taking in deep breaths to calm her escalating emotions. She didn’t know how to fix it, that was the problem. She needed to hold it together until she got home. Then she could fall apart again, just as she had done since she let Juliana walk away.

Valentina fumbled with her phone and quickly ordered an Uber. She couldn’t have Alirio drive her home in this state, and she didn’t want him knowing her plans. This would be her own little secret, something no one else needed to know. 

She fell into her Uber and made no effort to respond to the drivers polite questioning. He soon took the hint and they drove in silence. As they made their way towards Valentina’s apartment, she asked the driver to pull over at a familiar corner shop. She stepped out and walked with purpose into the liquor store, striding confidently to the shelves lined with tequila and mezcal. One glance and her hand wrapped around the neck of her favorite bottle, placing it unceremoniously onto the counter and thrusting her cash at the young man behind the counter before sliding back into her Uber. 

The cold glass warmed quickly in her firm grasp as she stared at the clear liquid sloshing about with the movements of the vehicle. Her decision to buy the bottle was a weak one and she knew it. She wanted to forget, to escape the current pain that had seeped its way into every crack of her mind and body. This was the only way she knew how.

She reflected on Luana’s strained words.  
_Brave._ She wasn’t brave. If she was brave, she would have faced her fears and Juliana might still be beside her.  
_She could fix it._ What would Luana know about her situation? She had no idea about the intricacies of her life, the sacrifices her family had taken, the pain she endured, or the guilt she felt. 

She thought about Juliana. If she thought hard enough, she could still feel the photographers’ breath on her neck, hear the throatiness of her laugh, see the depths of brown before her. Valentina had never felt so whole, so accepted, so loved in her entire life than in the four weeks she had spent with Juliana. If this was life without her, she didn’t want it. 

But that was exactly it. She couldn’t continue living like this. She would always feel guilt and shame whenever she reflected back on her darkest days. But there was no reason that she had to torture herself for the entirety of her future. She has suffered enough in her life, she has made too many mistakes. She was sick of hurting the people around her. 

Juliana. She should have fought for her. She didn’t want to keep her a secret. Valentina wanted to have Juliana beside her through the good days and bad. She wanted to share her life with her, make new memories with her, smile and laugh and cry with her. She was worth all the pain, all the suffering she had gone through. She deserved better than what Valentina gave her. Her kindness, her generosity, her liveliness and her thoughtfulness were all attributes that Valentina admired. Juliana was the brave one. She had been ready to fight for them. Juliana had been willing to go through whatever she had to, just to be with Valentina. 

God, she was so stupid. 

Soon enough, the Uber pulled up in front of her apartment building. She shoved the bottle of mezcal into her handbag as she thanked the driver and exited the vehicle. Her fingers fidgeted with one another on the ride up in the elevator, her foot tapped persistently against the polished tile beneath her heel. The bottle felt like it was burning a hole in her handbag, weighing her down. She gulped as she thought about what she was about to do, all the hard work that was about to be unraveled, all the disappointment she would inevitably face. 

As she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Guille slumped beside her door, his shoulder leaning against the doorframe. His suit was well fitted but slightly disheveled, his hair stuck out instead of the standard carefully smoothed style he generally sported, and his eyes looked frantic and frightened. 

“Vale.” He breathed in relief as their eyes locked. He pushed off against the wall and held his arms out towards her. 

“Luana called you.” She said more of a statement rather than a question as she fell into his arms. Her brother occasionally appeared at her apartment spontaneously, but his current agitated state lead her to immediately deduct why he was here this time. 

Guile didn’t respond. He just held her tightly. They stood in the brightly lit hallway for several minutes without letting go. Valentina let herself be held, squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to hold in the tears that threatened to escape. She breathed in his familiar scent, felt his stubble on her cheek, and let the comfort and strength of his arms calm her.

“Come on. Let’s go inside.” He said after a while. 

He let go enough to wrap an arm around her shoulder and took the keys off Valentina, sliding it into the lock an opening the door. As she stepped into the apartment, Guille slung her handbag off her arm and followed her into the room. Valentina made a beeline straight for the couch, settling comfortably into the fetal position on the cushions, pulling the blanket she had failed to fold up from yesterday over her body. She felt as though she had spent so much time in this exact spot, in this exact position over the last few days that the couch had molded into her body shape. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. 

A sharp clink on the coffee table quickly snapped her out of the lull she found herself in. Her eyes immediately landed on the bottle of mezcal she had purchased less than half an hour ago. She flinched and curled into herself as her gaze lingered on the bottle, before finally connecting with Guille’s. He was crouched next to her as his hand came up to brush away some hair that had fallen onto her face. 

“What’s wrong, Vale. You can talk to me.” His voice was soft, gentle, caring. 

Valentina took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. She couldn’t run away from it any more. She was tired of hiding, tired of holding this all in. She didn’t want to do it anymore. And if there was anyone she could trust, it was her brother. Besides, he had this special ability to detect if she was lying. She wouldn’t be able to get out of this even if she wanted to. She threw caution to the wind and opened her mouth to speak. 

“I messed up. I don’t know what to do about it.” She sniffled, feeling wet trails of tears fall down her face.

“Maybe I can help.” Guille offered, his thumb rubbing soothingly along her hairline. 

“I don’t know how to say it.” She choked through the tears, her eyes still clenched shut. She didn’t feel like she could look at him when she said it. 

“Just tell me what’s bothering you, what’s hurting you. We can work together to figure it out. It’s okay.” He soothed, his voice quiet and composed.

She swallowed thickly as she pondered how she was going to approach the topic she had mulled over in her mind for weeks. She clenched her jaw before relaxing, giving into her thoughts. A surprising calm washed over her as her mixed up, jumbled thoughts and feelings suddenly aligned, forming in her mind with complete clarity. She sat up and opened her eyes, blanket still draped over one shoulder. She wiped carelessly at her face before grasping at Guille’s hands, holding them tight in her lap. She needed his warmth to ground her as she spoke.

“I fell in love. I fell hard and fast. It was completely unexpected and absolutely exhilarating. But I messed it up. My actions broke my own heart.” She confessed, her voice raspy, her throat still tight with pent up emotion. 

She watched as Guille’s expression shifted from sheer concern to one of utter surprise. She furrowed her brows as his lips twitched into a small, lopsided smile. 

“You fell in love?” 

“Yes.”

“What? How did I not know about this?” He exclaimed in wonder. 

Valentina tilted her head slightly, regarding her brother. She was heartbroken, completely shattered, and her brother was smiling at her. 

“I think I’ve known for a while, but I only really just admitted it to myself.” She lamented. “I didn’t tell anyone. I didn’t know how.” Her hands released Guille’s and she found a stray thread to fiddle with instead. Guille shifted and sat beside her on the couch, one hand resting on her knee. He squeezed gently in order to get her attention. She chewed on the inside of her cheek and she looked back to her brother. 

“Tell me what happened. How did you mess it up?” 

Valentina leant back into the couch, pulling the blanket more firmly around her shoulders. “We were having such a great time getting to know one another. It was so easy being together, like we’d known each other for a lifetime. I couldn’t get her out of my head. I just craved her company all the time. I felt like a piece of me was missing when she wasn’t around. She wanted more definition around us, but I couldn’t give it to her. I was so stupid. I panicked when it really mattered, and she left.” Her head dropped and her fingers fiddled with the tassels at the end of the blanket. 

Silence enveloped them and after a moment, Valentina looked back up to see her brother smiling warmly at her. She quirked her eyebrow at him, unsure what could have possibly caused the silly expression plastered on his face. Here she was, sniffling and wiping at her silent tears, confiding in him something she hadn’t told anyone, while her brother sat next to her looking ridiculously pleased with the whole situation.

“She?” He grinned. 

Oh. She had been so caught up in her feelings that she forgot to censor the story for him. She just outed herself without even meaning to. Her lips pressed into a straight line as she nodded gradually, her eyes never leaving his. She wanted to see his reaction, unsure of what he might say or do. 

His smile just widened and Valentina couldn’t help but begin to imitate the delight that was evident on Guille’s face, her lips pulling up into a faint smile. 

“Okay.” He said, his eyes bright. He squeezed her knee again gently and continued. “We can work with this. What did you panic about?” 

Valentina appreciated her brothers’ willingness to not press her for the details he most likely wants, to move onto the matters more pressing to Valentina. She brought her knees up to her chest as she hugged herself. One side of her head rested against her knees as she regarded her brother, sitting patiently next to her. 

“She wanted to make things more official, but all I could think about was what the press would say, how they’d twist it. It’s not exactly the most accepted lifestyle in this country. I was worried about the company and how it might affect us. I’ve done enough damage in the past with my behavior. I don’t want to make things difficult for us again. I don’t want to let you or Eva down.” 

“Vale.” Guille sighed as he shook his head slightly, his eyes narrowed in disbelief. “What makes you think you are letting us down?”

“I didn’t know how you might react.” She whispered. 

Guille laughed through his nose. “You are our little sister. We will always accept you for who you are. Your sexuality, whatever it may be, doesn’t define you. It’s just a part of who you are. You haven’t changed, you are still our sister, our flesh and blood.” He leant forward as he spoke, his hand rubbing soothingly against her shoulder. “All we ever want to see is you happy.” 

Valentina lifted her head, looking at Guille front on. “Really?” She said in awe, feeling like a silly teenager and not at all the twenty six year old woman she was. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting when having this conversation with her family, but this reaction hadn’t really occurred to her.

“Of course.” He smiled. “It’s all we’ve ever wanted.” 

“But what about Eva. I’m not sure she’ll be as open to this as you.” 

Guille smirked at her. “I think you’ll be surprised.” 

Valentina tilted her head back and breathed in deeply, some of the weight she seemed to be carrying around lifting off her shoulders. 

“Does she make you happy?” 

Valentina looked back to Guille, a smile forming on her face as she remembered the overwhelming feeling of warmth and desire that radiated out of her chest when Juliana was around. 

“Stupidly happy.” She stated. 

“Then I think you’re right. You definitely messed up.” He chuckled as Valentina pushed at him. “But, there is a silver lining. Not all is lost. This is definitely something you can fix.” 

“I’m not so sure. I haven’t been able to get a hold of her since Saturday. I’m scared I’ve really ruined it.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “And what about the company if this all comes out?” 

Guille clicked his tongue as he considered her words. “There’s no need to worry about the company. We will deal with this carefully, and it’ll be fine. But there is absolutely no need to sacrifice your own happiness just because of the company. We will face whatever may come of this, and we’ll face it as a unit.” His voice was strong and heartfelt, and Valentina believed every word that came out of his mouth. “If this is something you want, if you want to be with this girl, you need to tell her. You need to find her and tell her what you’re feeling. Be honest, be real, be you, and I’m sure you’ll find this situation can very easily be fixed.” 

Valentina lunged forward and pulled Guille into a bruising hug. “Thank you.” She whispered. 

After a moment, he pulled back and regarded her seriously. He glanced at the bottle of mezcal still sitting on the coffee table and back at his sister, holding her by the shoulders. “Can I be assured that when we leave here, which we will in a moment, that this won’t happen again?”

Valentina scrunched her face up in embarrassment. “I’m sorry. It was a moment of weakness. I was just battling my own emotions. I couldn’t get out of my own head.”

“Promise me if you are struggling next time, you’ll pick up the damn phone.” Valentina noticed the fear in his eyes. She hated this, the worry and concern her brother had for her relapsing. She never wanted to see this look in his eyes ever again. 

“I promise.” 

Guille pulled her close and placed a kiss against her forehead before standing and holding his hand out for Valentina to take. She looked up at him wide eyed. 

“Come on. We have places to go, girls to win back.” He winked down at her and she smiled up at him. She took his hand and stood, watching as he scooped up the bottle and tucked it under his other arm. He led them to the door and let go so she could gather her belongings. 

“So, who is this mystery girl, anyway?” He finally asked. 

She licked her lips and straightened up, fixing her hair in the reflection of the mirror hung by the front door. She smirked at him as she saw the look on his face. It was clear he had been bursting to ask since he first discovered she had fallen for a girl. 

“Juliana.” She said simply, her hands busy fixing the clip holding some of her hair in place. 

“The photographer?” He beamed at her, clearly thrilled with the revelation.

“Yep.” She replied, popping the p for emphasis.

He laughed then, his eyes alight. “I could tell there was something between you at that Angel photo shoot.” He opened the door, gesturing for Valentina to lead the way. “At least you have great taste, sis.” She shot him a playful glare as she picked up her handbag and exited the apartment, his giddy laughter following her. 

******************** 

Valentina shifted on her feet as she stood in front of the white front door of Juliana’s apartment. Alirio had driven Guille and herself to the address Valentina gave him after she found it deep in her texts with Juliana. After a hug and a heartfelt good luck from her brother, she left the black SUV feeling confident in her ability to win Juliana back. Now that she stood at the threshold of Juliana’s apartment, her confidence was slipping and she felt her nerves rising. She wiped the palm of her hands on her black work pants, feeling a little silly for not changing into something more suitable when she was home. She took in a deep breath and raised her hand, wrapping her knuckles cautiously on the wooden door. 

Valentina listened with bated breath for movement in the apartment. It was evening now and Valentina just assumed Juliana would be home, but she wasn’t sure. She also felt a little ridiculous that over the past four weeks, Valentina had never stepped a foot inside Juliana’s apartment. They had spent all their time at Valentina’s place, or out exploring the city. She fidgeted with her hands as she continued to wait, unsure of what to do next. She could stay and wait for Juliana to arrive home, or she could go home and try again another time. She was torn. She pulled out her phone and double-checked the apartment number, making sure she knocked on the right door. 

She dropped her head and resigned herself to the idea of coming back tomorrow to try again. Just as she turned and took one tentative step away, the lock clicked and the door opened. Valentina’s eyes widened as she took in the woman standing at the door. She knew immediately she had found the right apartment. The woman had a strong resemblance to Juliana. Her eyes and chin were the same, and she had the same long dark hair. A look of recognition passed across the woman’s face as Valentina stumbled back to where she was standing a moment before. 

“Uh, hi. Um. I’m sorry to disturb. I was just looking for Juliana.” She tripped over her words, her heart racing in her chest. 

The woman’s eyebrows creased and her arms crossed over her chest. Valentina was immediately threatened by her body language. This wasn’t going to be easy. 

“You’re Valentina.” She stated. Valentina nodded, her mouth going dry. “Well, she wasn’t wrong. You are beautiful.” Her dark eyes scanned Valentina and she shifted again, uncomfortable under the woman’s’ intense gaze. 

“Is Juliana home?” Valentina croaked. Juliana had obviously spoken to her mother about her, but she wasn’t sure exactly in how much detail. She desperately wanted to speak to the photographer. 

The woman didn’t budge from her stance in the doorway, nor did she speak. She continued to stand and regard Valentina as she squirmed under her stare. 

“Ma, what’s taking so long?” 

Valentina’s chest filled with longing as she heard the voice she had so desperately missed over the past few days. Juliana came into view, standing a few feet behind her mother. Her mouth gaped open and her hands fell limply by her side when she spotted who was standing on the other side of her door. 

“Juls.” Valentina breathed, relief rushing through her as her eyes finally set on the dark haired woman she couldn’t get off her mind. 

“Val? What are you doing here?” Juliana stammered, surprise evident in her tone. 

“I need to talk to you. If you’ll just give me five minutes of your time and I promise I’ll leave you alone after if that’s what you want. I just want to explain. Please.” She knew her voice sounded pathetic, but she so desperately needed for Juliana to agree. 

Juliana ran her hand up through her hair, a gesture Valentina had discovered in their time together she did when she was nervous or frustrated. She had done it continuously when she was called in for a meeting with Eva two weeks after her contract began. Valentina did her best to reassure the photographer that everything was fine, but she continued to push her hand hurriedly through her long, dark locks on their way to the office. It turned out Eva just wanted to check she was settling into the company, and to congratulate her for the quality of images she was taking. That night, Valentina teased Juliana relentlessly about her unnecessary fretting.

“Please?” She begged again after Juliana failed to respond. 

After another moment, the woman standing in the door turned and pulled Juliana in for a hug. Valentina could see the woman whispering in Juliana’s ear, but Juliana’s eyes were locked on Valentina’s. She then pulled away, picked up her bag that was sitting beside the door and stepped outside, giving Valentina one more look over before striding down the corridor and disappearing. 

Juliana held the door and stood aside, gesturing for Valentina to enter the space. She took a couple of steps inside and waited for Juliana. She heard the door close behind her and turned as Juliana walked towards the couch. As she followed the dark haired woman, she took in her surroundings. She noticed quickly it was a studio apartment due to the sizeable open-planned living space. The kitchen was to her right, the living space to her left, with a large bed sitting on an elevated area straight ahead, in front of large double hung windows. 

“Do you want anything?” Juliana asked as she fell into the grey sofa sat in front of a dark wooden coffee table and a wall mounted TV. Bright colors and cartoon characters bounced around the screen, the volume turned down low. 

“No. Thanks.” Valentina responded as she sat lightly on the other end of the sofa. 

Valentina perched herself on the edge of the cushions, her hands clasped together on top of her knees. She looked at Juliana, her face softening as she watched her clutch a pillow to her chest and tuck her feet under her thighs. She was adorable in a dark hoodie and black sweatpants, but when Valentina finally took a good look at her, her heart tightened in her chest. 

Juliana’s skin was paler than usual, with heavy bags under her eyes. Her usually well-kept hair was unbrushed. She looked wrecked and it pained her to admit that she was possibly the reason for it. Valentina surmised her own physical state most likely reflected the woman in front of her. 

Juliana’s brown eyes bore into her. “What do you want to talk about?” 

Valentina brought one hand to her neck, massaging and rubbing nervously into the skin there. “I wanted to apologize for the way I acted.” She swallowed hard. “It was wrong of me. You deserve better.” 

Juliana frowned, her eyes never wavering. Valentina felt anxious under her gaze, the usual warmth they held was noticeably absent. Her knee began bouncing nervously.

“And it took you five days to work that out?” 

Valentina’s eyes flittered around the space. “I knew it as soon as you walked away. It’s just taken me this long to do anything about it. I’m no good at this, I’ve never done this before. I didn’t know what to do.” 

“You’ve never done what before? Broken someone’s heart? I doubt that.” Juliana’s voice was cutting and Valentina could feel the hurt as if it were tangible, as if she could reach out and touch it. The thought of her actions causing any kind of harm to Juliana made her chest ache. Her eyes scrunched closed in contemplation. 

“I’ve never cared this much before.” She mumbled. 

She looked back at Juliana, who took a deep breath and blew it out through her nose. This was going to be tougher than she thought. She was going to have to do some serious explaining to fix this, but this is what she was here for. She was ready to fight for it, for them. Finally. She felt the fire in her belly alight. She turned her body more fully towards Juliana and straightened up. She looked straight into Juliana’s eyes.

“Juls, I’ve never felt like this for anyone before. Everything happened so quickly and I finally let myself go, to let myself feel something other than pain or disappointment or guilt. I fell hard and I fell fast, and it felt good. I haven’t felt like this for years, almost for as long as I can remember. But there were always my own insecurities niggling at me, lurking in the back of my mind. As much as I tried to fight them, they got the best of me.” She sighed, hanging her head. “I fucked up. I freaked out when you asked me why we can’t be together.” 

Silence hung between them, the low cheerful chatter of the television providing some background noise to the intensity of the situation. 

“I told you to come to me if you had it figured out.”

“I remember.”

“So, have you?” Juliana shifted more comfortably into the corner of the couch, her knees against her chest, her head resting in her hand.

Valentina couldn’t take the distance anymore. She slid off the couch and shuffled on the ground until she sat on her knees in front of Juliana. She took Juliana’s free hand in both of hers, bringing it to her lips and pressing a quick kiss there before intertwining their fingers, softly tracing patterns onto the skin. 

“I’ve been selfish. I’ve been so stupid and selfish.” She said with force. “You are the one thing that has brought light and laughter back into my life. You make my head spin, you make my heart beat faster, and you make my knees weak. I have never felt so sick from disappointing someone in my whole life than I have these past five days. I haven’t slept a wink because the warmth of your body hasn’t been by my side. I’ve missed your gentleness, your calmness, and your craziness.” Valentina smiled as she watched Juliana’s brown eyes soften slowly at her declaration. “I was the happiest I’ve ever been since I met you, and now I can’t imagine my life without you. I can’t even comprehend the idea of being with anyone else, and the concept of you being with someone else makes me want to -.” She clenched her jaw as she considered her words. “I can’t explain it. The thought of you with someone else is something I can’t even think about.”

She bit her lip as Juliana’s posture shifted from closed off and rigid to slackened and open. Her knees dropped from close to her body and she moved so her back was now against the rear of the couch instead of squished into the corner. 

“I never want to kiss anyone else. I never want to experience again what it’s like to not have you around. I want to introduce you to my family, and I want my friends to know who you are and what you mean to me. I don’t want to hide us anymore.”

Juliana tilted her head to one side and nibbled lightly on the cuff of her hoodie. “How do I know you wont back out on me again?” 

Valentina’s eyes widened at Juliana’s vulnerability. This was a side of the photographer Valentina hadn’t really seen before. Her throat constricted as a new bout of tears threatened to build and escape. She swallowed thickly and cleared her throat. Valentina let go of Juliana’s hand and pulled at her calves, her legs easily moving with her direction. Valentina guided Juliana’s legs to either side of her torso while straightening up on her own knees, their heights now equal. 

“I’m here because I want to fight for us. I will spend the rest of however long you will have me proving to you how much I care about you. I will fight anyone I have to just to be with you. Money, reputation, work; they are all things I can figure out. I’ll face the press, and I’ll do it with pride. Because I want the world to know you’re mine, and I’m yours.” She leaned forward and placed the palm of her hands gently against Juliana’s cheeks. Her brown eyes were looking at her with hope, so she pressed on. “I want you, Juliana. I’m willing to give up everything I have to be with you. Because my life isn’t worth living if you aren’t in it.”

“What about the company?” Juliana’s voice was small. 

“I’ll face whatever consequence may arise.”

“What about your family?”

“Guille knows. I’ll tell Eva tomorrow.” 

“Guille knows?” Juliana’s eyebrows quirked up in surprise. 

Valentina gave her a small smile and leaned back, her hands dropping into Juliana’s lap. She felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter alive again when Juliana’s hands immediately found her own. “I told him about the depth of my feelings for you. I’ve been completely miserable without you, it wasn’t hard to tell something was wrong.” She chuckled sardonically. “He was happy for me. He was the one who encouraged me to pursue it, to go after you, to win you back.”

Juliana was looking down, watching her own fingers play with Valentina’s. She began a gentle pattern, tracing each finger lightly before smoothing along each nail before starting again. 

“I told my ma, too.” 

Valentina smiled, ducking her head to get Juliana’s attention. When Juliana looked back up, all traces of resentment and fear were erased. The Juliana she had come to know gazed back at her, a glint in her eye. 

“How did that go? I know you were worried about telling her.” Valentina squeezed Juliana’s hands in encouragement. 

“It was kind of an accident. I was distraught on Saturday night, and I found myself outside of her new place. She was obviously worried about me with one look at the state I was in. I just sort of blurted it out.” She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth to hide a shy smile. “I think if I wasn’t so hysterical she would have reacted a little differently. She certainly didn’t understand to start with, but she has slowly come around to the idea.”

Valentina nodded her head, a small smile on her lips. “See, we’re already making progress.” 

Juliana narrowed her eyes slightly and sat forward a little, moving closer to Valentina. “So, what happens now?”

“Well, Juls.” Valentina breathed, shuffling closer. “I know how I feel, and I’m very confident in what I want. I want to hold your hand while walking down the street. I want to hug you while we wait in line for food. I want to stand with you as we face the inevitable difficult times ahead. I want everything you said to me on Saturday. And I think if we are together, no one else stands a chance.” She raised one hand to cup Juliana’s cheek. “So, if you’ll have me, I’d like you to be my girlfriend.”

Juliana smiled then, and it finally reached her eyes. Sparks erupted in Valentina’s chest as Juliana moved forward again, their breaths mingling. She almost couldn’t believe that this amazing woman was considering forgiving her, accepting her apology, and that she might just have the chance to make things right. Juliana bumped her nose against Valentina’s lightly, and her eyes fluttered closed. 

“Yeah. Okay. I’ll be your girlfriend.” She whispered and closed the distance between their lips. 

Valentina melted as the moment she had dreamed about, craved for, was finally occurring. Juliana’s lips moved rhythmically against hers, taking no time to press harder and deepen the embrace. Their tongues swirled against one another, and a zing of pleasure shot down Valentina’s spine and settled in her stomach. Her hands enclosed around Juliana’s back and pulled her flush against her. She felt Juliana’s legs wrap around her, linking together to hold her close while her arms wrapped around her neck. They kissed slowly, pouring every bit of angst and sorrow into it, ridding themselves of the hurt of the past five days. Valentina’s hands found the hem of Juliana’s hoodie. Her fingers burned at the warm sensation of soft skin beneath her, her brain almost short-circuiting. Just as she was about to pull the hoodie from Juliana’s body, there was a loud knock on the door. The girls pulled apart and watched one another, their lips wet and plump. 

“Are you expecting someone?” 

Juliana pressed a quick kiss to Valentina’s lips and placed her feet on the ground either side of her. 

“Ma ordered dinner before you arrived.” She murmured, her face still close. “Will you stay?”

Valentina smirked. “You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think i'm doing a very good job at keeping you on your toes, but I just can't have them apart any longer! I hope you enjoyed it.  
> Two chapters to go :)


	10. Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eva's POV.

**EVA’S POV**

“Do you have any spare time today? I need to talk to you about something.” 

Eva pulled the pen lid she had been chewing out of her mouth and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Her little sister sounded hesitant which was very out of character.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes, everything is fine. I just want to talk to you about a few things, that’s all.” Eva could hear in Valentina’s voice that she was a little nervous. She wasn’t sure if she should be worried about whatever Valentina had to tell her. It was always either sunshine and rainbows, or intense darkness with Valentina. She didn’t know what to expect. 

Eva pulled up her calendar on the computer screen in front of her and exhaled. 

“I have lunch free in forty-five minutes. That’s it for the day.”

Eva could hear Valentina shuffling on her end of the phone. “Great. I’ll meet you in the café across the street then?”

“Are you sure you can’t just tell me now?” Eva questioned, curious about the subject of Valentina’s unusual nervous tension. 

“I’ll see you in forty-five, Eva.” Valentina said before ending the call. 

Eva put her phone back down and drummed her fingernails on the desk, pondering her sisters’ words. They had never been as close as Guille and Valentina were, but their relationship had come leaps and bounds in the last couple of years. Eva did feel some level of guilt over Valentina’s alcoholism, too preoccupied by her own grief and snowed under with trying to keep the company afloat to take much notice of her sisters fall from grace. Looking back, it’s obvious that Valentina was crying out for help, and Eva had disregarded her. During that time, instead of offering her help and support, she had told her little sister to grow up and stop acting like an insolent child. Eva was too wrapped up with her own problems to notice her family falling apart around her. She was too ignorant to notice until it was too late. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. 

At 12:25pm, Eva told Jessica she was leaving for lunch and made her way down to the café across the street. Valentina was already there, dressed in dark jeans, a simple white t-shirt and a black leather jacket. She sat up in the couch she was slumped in and waved timidly to her as Eva made her way over. Eva bent down and pressed a kiss to Valentina’s cheek before she sat on the couch beside her sister. 

“I already ordered you a coffee. I didn’t know if you wanted any food.” Valentina said as she perched herself on the edge of the couch. 

Eva placed her handbag on the ground beside her and pushed her hair back over her shoulders as she got comfortable. She looked at Valentina and saw her blue eyes bright, but a certain hesitance resting in her expression. Her fingers were playing with the zip at the bottom of her jacket and her brows were creased. 

“Coffee is fine, Vale. Thank you.” She said, taking her suit jacket off and placing it neatly on the armrest. “Are you not at work today?” 

Valentina smirked slightly. “No, I took the day off.”

“Are you sick?” 

“No, Eva. I’m fine. I promise.” 

Eva blinked a few times, regarding her sister seriously. Just as she was about to ask what was going on, the café owner appeared in front of them with two steaming cups of coffee. 

“Valentina. Eva. Here are your coffees.” She said as she placed the cups carefully on the low coffee table in front of them. 

“Thank you, Maria!” Valentina beamed at the plump old woman. Eva watched as the woman smiled warmly at Valentina before stealing a quick glance at her. She shuffled away back behind the counter as quickly as she had come.

Eva always admired the way Valentina made other people feel so at ease in her presence. She had been like that for as long as she could remember. People seemed to gravitate towards the lightness Valentina emitted. The light that Eva envied when they were children had been dimmed for many years as Valentina battled with her own demons, but Eva had noticed the shimmer in her eye and the bounce in her step over the past couple of months. The quality of her work improved and the chirpy Valentina from years past returned. She had wondered what could possibly be going on in her sisters’ life, but as per usual, she was too busy at work to actually get the chance to speak to Valentina about it. A relationship did cross Eva’s mind, but Valentina was never very good at hiding things. She assumed that would be something she would find out through the tabloids easily enough, or that Valentina might actually tell her about something that significant herself, but nothing was ever reported. 

They stirred their coffees in silence, taking the first sip before looking at one another again. 

Eva raised her eyebrows expectantly, waiting for Valentina to speak. 

“Right.” Valentina cleared her throat and ran her left hand through her hair. She put her cup back down on the coffee table and shifted, their knees touching, her fingers fidgeting with her jacket. Eva’s lips twitched upwards as she watched her little sister fumble about nervously. Obviously what she was going to say was serious, so she placed her own cup back down and focused her full attention on Valentina. 

“Vale, what’s going on?” She prompted. 

Valentina finally looked up, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. After a few moments, Valentina finally spoke. “I wanted to tell you that I’m seeing someone.”

Eva’s mouth involuntarily dropped, her eyebrows raising. She had already thought of Valentina in a relationship as a possibility of her recent mood change and need to talk, but she had deducted that this scenario was most likely not the case. She was momentarily surprised, which morphed quickly into a wide smile. 

“That’s great!” She exclaimed, her hand patting Valentina’s knee. “You’ve kept that very quite. I’m impressed, actually. Who is he?”

Valentina’s eyes dropped from Eva’s once more as she brought her thumb into her mouth, chewing delicately onto the edge of the nail. Eva shook her head once and pulled Valentina’s thumb out of her mouth. It was strange, watching Valentina act like this. Usually she was all confidence, or a complete mess. She was never this uneasy. 

“That’s the thing.” She mumbled. “It’s not a he.”

Eva stilled at the comment, processing her sisters words. She leaned forward slightly, attempting to connect with Valentina’s gaze. With no luck, she spoke anyway. 

“If it’s not a he…” Eva trailed off. She needed to hear Valentina say it. 

“It’s a she. Obviously.” Valentina was now fidgeting with the cuff of her jacket. “We’ve been seeing one another for over a month.” She cleared her throat before speaking lowly. “I’m in love with her.”

“You’re in love with a girl?” Eva asked, incredulously. 

Valentina finally looked up, her blue eyes tentative. There was a light sheen of tears building, and finally Eva realized why Valentina was so nervous. 

“That’s right.” Valentina says with conviction. “I love her. And we’re dating. She’s my girlfriend.”

“Hang on a minute.” Eva raised a hand in the air as if to stop Valentina from going any further. “Let me get this straight. You have feelings for another woman?” She spoke quietly, almost to herself. Then she leaned forward. “You’re gay?” She whispered. 

Valentina shook her head infinitesimally, her jaw clenching slightly. “I don’t know what I am. All I know is I’m the happiest I have been in a long time, and it’s all due to her. She makes me want to be better, to do better.” 

“And you’ve been seeing her for over a month?” Eva pressed. Her brain didn’t quite comprehend all this new information. This was the last thing she was expecting. She was trying to figure out what she was supposed to do with this. She knew she had to protect her family at all costs, and this was something that could seriously blow up in a bad way. 

“Yes.” 

“Jesus, Vale.” Was all she could muster as she sat back into the couch, the coffee long forgotten. “Are you sure? I mean, the consequences here are much higher than a regular relationship. This is going to be big news, the tabloids are going to be all over it. There will be shit splattered everywhere, all over the country, probably once again trudging up your past. They’ll be back to following you like animals. Are you ready for that? Is she?” Eva’s hands flew as she spoke. 

Valentina just sat there with a stupid look on her face. A stray tear fell down her cheek, her blue eyes sparkling. Eva adored Valentina’s eyes. They were the same as their mothers’ eyes, a deep ocean blue. And they showed every emotion the owner was feeling. Right now though, Eva couldn’t work it out. Valentina had just dropped this huge life altering news on her, Eva had just spat a whole heap of scepticism back at her, and she was sitting here smiling at her. 

“What?” Eva queried.

Through a sniffle and a shy smile, Valentina spoke. “You aren’t disappointed at the fact that I’m dating a girl?”

Eva took in a deep breath and started at her sister. Her expression softened as she finally understood why Valentina had been so nervous. She was uncertain of the way Eva would react. She was frightened that Eva would not accept this significant revelation. 

Eva sat forward again and took Valentina’s hands between her own. “Valentina. You are my family. I know I haven’t been your strongest supporter in the past and I’m sorry for that. I can’t fix how I’ve behaved in the past, but I can do my best to work on making things right for our futures. Before anything else, you are my little sister. I’ve noticed the changes in you over the past month.” She smiled and wiped at the second tear falling from Valentina’s clear blue eyes. “You are twenty six years old, not a child. If this girl makes you happy, then I’m happy.” She said lowly, trying to comfort the vulnerable girl sitting in front of her. 

She felt thin arms wrap around her shoulders as Valentina pulled her into a hug. Eva rubbed Valentina’s back methodically as her sisters’ body heaved with sobs. Eva did her best to comfort Valentina, holding her close and telling her everything would be fine. Once Valentina’s crying lessened, she pulled back and ducked her head. 

“I’ve been driving myself crazy thinking that you would consider me a failure.” She wiped at her face. Eva handed her a napkin from the table, which Valentina graciously accepted. 

“I’m sorry you felt like you couldn’t come and talk to me about this.” She said as she stroked Valentina’s long hair. Her face fell as she watched her little sister attempt to compose herself. She hated that she had worked herself up like this, that Eva had given her the impression that she would reject her own sister over something like this. “I’m not bothered about you dating a woman. I’d like to think that she’s a better choice than any of the men you’ve dated.” 

Valentina giggled, nodding her head. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her breathing. Eva just observed her, rubbing her knee soothingly. Finally, Valentina settled and looked at her. 

“I think you’ll agree she’s a much better choice.” She stated, smiling. 

“Yeah? Do I know her?” 

Valentina’s eyes crinkled as she smiled, and Eva couldn’t help but reflect the pure happiness radiating out from her. 

“I’m assuming from that reaction that I do. Who is it?” Eva racked her brains for a woman that Valentina had been hanging around with lately, but none of them stood out. 

“It’s Juliana. Valdez. The new photographer we put on.” Valentina was basically bouncing in her seat with excitement. 

Eva thought back to her interactions with the dark haired photographer. She was beautiful in a natural way, she had seemed quiet but confident, and she was very good at her job. Eva was surprised that this woman had captured her sisters’ heart, but she was also trying her best not to judge. Juliana had seemed like a very sensible person, and it was possible she balanced Valentina out perfectly. 

“Well, I guess I won’t know if you’ve outdone yourself until I see you together. We’re going to have to come up with a strategy in how to manage this situation, so why don’t you bring Juliana to dinner tomorrow night?”

Valentina’s eyes widened at Eva’s offer. “Are you sure?”

“Of course. We’ll have it at the mansion, so Guille and Renata can join us. And Mateo should be able to make it too. Silvina can cook your favorite meal. What do you think?”

Eva was crushed by another one of Valentina’s hugs. “I would love that. Thank you, Eva.”

*****************

“Guille? Eva?” 

Eva had arrived at the mansion earlier that day to finish off some work in her father’s old study. They hadn’t moved or changed his room in any way since his passing, and Eva occasionally used it as a quiet space to get some work done. It was also a time for Eva to sit and remember her father. Her life was so fast-paced and often, she felt like she hardly had any time to breathe. Coming to the mansion, the home in which he lived and she grew up, was respite from the chaos her world had become. Sometimes she would sit in his large desk chair and close her eyes, reflecting on her favorite memories of him. She found solace in the dark room. She told herself she should find some peace and quiet here more often. 

When she heard her little sisters’ voice call out from the hallway, she closed the laptop screen and sat back in her chair. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had to admit to herself she was still a little conflicted in how she felt about Valentina’s declaration about her sexuality. She knows that if they had been younger, Eva would have struggled with this news. But time and life experience had taken its toll, and Eva was tired of fighting with her family. They had gone through too much for it to all fall apart now. She knows she hasn’t exactly been there for her siblings in the past when they needed her. The last time Valentina had been admitted to rehab, Eva made a promise to herself that she would be there for them, to support them no matter what. This was no exception, even if she didn’t fully agree to the lifestyle.

Eva had two friends in her twenties who had come out as gay. She had struggled with it to start with, but over time, she realized that it didn’t change who they were. Fundamentally they were the same people, and it was just another facet to their personality. Humans are complex and as she matured, she realized that it was okay to own it, to embrace who you were, no matter what other people said or how society told us how to act or feel. She had eventually come to terms with their sexuality, and they were still some of the most fulfilling friendships she had.

She can’t say she wasn’t curious about meeting Juliana in this setting, to watch how her sister interacted with her, to make the judgment for herself that this woman Valentina found herself in a relationship had the right intentions. It wouldn’t be the first time that an outsider had tried to get close to one of the Carvajal siblings in order to take advantage of their power, status or money. Eva would always protect her siblings and the Carvajal name, even if it meant causing a little conflict. She always had their best interests at heart, but instead of immediately shutting it down as she would have when she was younger, she was willing to give this a chance, to not judge so quickly.

She stood up and finished the glass of red wine she was sipping on. When she emerged from the study, she could already see Guille wrapping Valentina up into a tight hug, the dark haired woman standing beside her, smiling nervously. Renata then appeared from the living area and embraced Juliana quickly, before greeting Valentina herself once Guille let her go. Eva approached from down the hallway, her heels clicking on the slick tiled floor. Their excited chatter slowly died down as they turned to face Eva. Was her presence really that intimidating? 

“Vale. I’m so glad you came.” Eva said warmly, pulling Valentina in for a brief hug. 

“Eva. This is Juliana.” She watched her little sister gesture to the woman standing beside her. She didn’t miss the tense look in her eye as Eva’s gaze shifted to dark brown. 

“Juliana. It’s great to have you here, thank you for coming.” She said as she offered her hand. 

Juliana’s handshake was warm and firm, a sign of a strong woman. Eva could respect that, and smiled cordially in response. 

“Thank you for having me.” 

Eva turned and held out an arm in the direction of the dining area. 

“Please, let’s get comfortable. We have much to talk about.” She said, leading the way to the large wooden table. “And much to eat. I’m sure Silvina has over catered as per usual.” 

Just as they all sat down at the table, Mateo appeared and grinned widely to his family, greeting them with a cheerful “hello beautiful people!”. Everyone seemed to love Mateo as they all jumped up and hugged him emphatically. It was one of the reasons Eva had fallen in love with him. His infectious energy and care for others was an admirable quality and it balances Eva’s often brash and cold manner. She admits that she was certainly a difficult person to be around in her twenties, but she had tried harder to be more relaxed and laid-back in her thirties. Her relationship with Mateo only flourished since she made a concerted effort to be more personable and affectionate. He placed a quick kiss on her lips before he took his seat next to her. He smelled of cigar and paper, and the brush of his beard on her face was a small comfort. 

Silvina quickly appeared and served the family their dinner. It wasn’t wasted on Eva that both Valentina and Juliana stuck to water as Silvina filled everyone’s glass. A small smile formed on her lips as she appreciated the small gesture from the newest member of the table. 

Eva watched as her family interacted before her. She often enjoyed sitting back and observing people, finding joy in the intricacies of how people behaved around one another. It was obvious straight away that Valentina was nervous bringing Juliana into this environment, and she was doing her best to include Juliana in the conversation. Eva saw Valentina’s eyes rarely stray from Juliana, watching her with adoration and devotion. It was a look she had seen her mother give her father when they were both alive. 

She watched as Valentina shuffled her chair closer to Juliana, and leaned in close to whisper in her ear on a couple of occasions, most likely to check in on her. Her sister was always so concerned with ensuring everyone felt welcome and secure, and this scenario of unchartered waters increased Valentina’s need to reassure her partner tenfold. 

For Juliana’s part, she was clearly less obvious with her physical feelings for Valentina. But as Eva observed, she noticed small affections that may have otherwise been dismissed by others. Juliana appeared to move with Valentina, almost as if their bodies moved in synchronicity. If one leant in, the other reciprocated by instinct. It was as though they were hyper aware of what the other person was doing, and their bodies reflected their internal thoughts. Most of all, it was the look in Juliana’s eyes when her attention was on Valentina that reassured Eva that this might just be real. Her whole body responded to whatever Valentina was doing, and the smile never left her face when it was for Valentina. 

Maybe Valentina was onto something here. 

Eva breathed a sigh of relief, re-filed her glass of red wine and finished her meal, finally engaging in the conversation more fully. The three Carvajal siblings and their respective partners continued their relaxed conversation as Silvina cleared the plates away. As expected, many of the questions were focused on Valentina and Juliana. They seemed to have their own unspoken language between them, communicating on looks and feels before answering any deep or particularly personal questions. 

Once the table was cleared and Eva refilled her glass for the fourth time that night, she cleared her throat and suddenly the table went quiet. All attention was aimed at her. Dominating a room was something she was certainly used to, but the uneasy look in her family’s eyes was not something she would ever get used to. She knew her previous authoritarian personality trait had somewhat harmed the relationship she had with her family members, but she was trying her best to change. She didn’t want them to be fearful of her, or worried about telling her big news, or look at her with such apprehension when she had something to say. 

“I hate to be the one to bring it up, but we need to discuss how we’re going to handle your relationship, and the media.” Eva addressed the group and gestured towards Valentina and Juliana sitting opposite her. “Guille and I have spoken, and we think the best way to go about it is releasing it ourselves.” 

The table was quiet as Eva spoke. Juliana’s arm shifted and Eva supposed she was clutching at Valentina’s hand under the table. 

“We just don’t want it to be a big deal.” Valentina spoke, her blue eyes twinkling. 

“But it will be a big deal to anyone else outside of this room, Vale.” Guille pointed out. 

Eva watched as Juliana flexed her jaw slightly, and Valentina’s attention shifted back to her. She reached up and pushed a strand of hair behind Juliana’s ear, before turning back to the group. Juliana visibly relaxed with Valentina’s touch. 

“We’re ready for whatever is to come.” Valentina said firmly. 

“What do you propose?” Juliana interjected. 

Everyone’s head turned to look at Eva once more as she took another slow sip of wine. The glass returned to the table with a clink. 

“Well, the way I see it, you have two options.” She leaned back in her chair, one hand in her lap while the other twirled the stem of the wine glass. “You post it to one of your social media platforms. That way, you can do it whenever you feel comfortable. You’ll own it, you use whatever words you want, whatever image you like. The press and the public will do what they want with it. Obviously the downside being that you might get a lot of hurtful comments from people who are less open to the idea.”

A small murmur fell around the table. A couple of comments were made for or against this possibility before they all fell silent once more.

“Right. And what’s the other option?” Valentina absentmindedly took Juliana’s hand in hers on top of the table. The dark haired woman was so transfixed on processing the possible actions that would dictate her future that she didn’t mind the open display of affection. 

“Do you know what month it is next?” Guille asked. 

“Uh. June?” Juliana sounded unsure, her eyes flickering around the room. 

“Did you know June is Gay Pride month?” Mateo inquired. 

Valentina and Juliana’s eyebrows both shot up, their eyes widening. Eva had to stifle a laugh at the comical reaction. 

“Each year, we do a centerpiece in our magazine on a famous LGBTI person, shining light on the community and what they stand for in an attempt on educating the wider population and giving voice to those who feel oppressed. We thought, with your permission, we could do a special edition in the magazine this month with you two as the main feature. That way, we would have control over what is said.”

“Either way, you are going to receive some criticism. There are always going to be people in the general public who will want to voice their opinions, unwanted or not, on the lifestyle choices of someone else.” Eva continued after watching the utter astonishment on Valentina and Juliana’s faces. “As long as you are ready for that, and willing to manage the initial onslaught of supporters, but also haters, then it doesn’t really matter how you go about it. As long as you make the decision together, and it feels right.”

“Just know that we will stand by you, no matter what.” Guille added, his hand gripping Valentina’s shoulder in support. 

“Absolutely. For whatever comes next, we’ll be here.” Renata concurred. 

The two women shared another look before Valentina spoke. “Thank you. You’ve clearly thought about it and we really appreciate your concerns. But, do you mind if we think about it?”

Guille chuckled. “Of course not, hermanita. It’s your life, it’s important to talk it over. You just let us know what you want to do, and we’ll do what we can to help.”

Eva looked around at her family members, and for the first time in a long time, she felt at ease, content. They were all here, all healthy, they had all found someone to share their lives with, and they were communicating openly and honestly. She looked at her little sister and the woman that clearly had her heart, and she respected their determination. It was obvious that they were aware of the tricky road ahead, and their willingness to stick to what they believe in to be together was commendable. Eva knows the way forward won’t be easy for them, but there was no stopping Valentina when she made a decision. 

“You know what? It’s been a long road to get here. We have all gone through our own personal struggles, and there have been times in which I wasn’t sure we were going to make it through it together. But, sitting here now, I know our parents would be proud of us. They would be proud of us for standing together on this, and for supporting one another.” Eva confessed. She raised her glass and continued. “To Valentina and Juliana. We can only admire the strength you have shown us and will continue to show us as we move forward. We are and always will be here to support you.”

Slowly, everyone else picked up their own glasses and raised them, a few clinking together. Eva spotted Valentina’s watery smile from across the table and nodded her head once in encouragement before bringing the glass to her lips and finishing the red liquid in one gulp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've always enjoyed reading about J & V from another persons perspective. I took the opportunity here to write this from Eva's point of view. Obviously, i've written Eva differently than on the show. I think that maybe, if they were older, things could have been different. At least, I like to think so (and I recognise this story is completely different anyway). Also, I just don't think I can write an unsupportive sibling, haha.  
> Anyway, i'm hesitant about this one so please let me know what you think!


	11. Believe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Domestic bliss + dressing up.

**10 MONTHS LATER**

The sound of the shower running woke Valentina. She shifted onto her back and rubbed her eyes, the last tendrils of sleep still lingering. She knew that if she snuggled into Juliana’s pillow, she could fall back to sleep easily. Right as she was about to do just that, the sweet sounds of Juliana humming along to an unknown tune wafted out of the en-suite and Valentina’s eyes slowly opened. The room was still dark, the long curtains blocking out the morning light. The en-suite door was cracked open, a sliver of warm light stretching across the carpet in the walk-through closet. Steam was beginning to seep into the bedroom as Juliana’s humming soon turned into words, her voice breaking into a beautiful melody of her favorite Dua Lipa song. 

Valentina reached into the bedside table and pulled out a small black object, holding it firmly in her palm. She stood and slinked out of her oversized white t-shirt before padding softly across the carpet towards the bathroom. As she walked through the closet, she smiled at the racks of Juliana’s clothing and rows of shoes that now joined hers. She reached the door and pushed slowly, entering without making a sound. Juliana stood under the stream of hot water, washing out her shampoo. With her arms above her head, her fingers worked the substance out of her ink black hair. Juliana’s eyes were closed and she hadn’t yet registered that Valentina had opened the shower door and joined her in the large cavity. She continued singing lightly, her expressions moving with the different notes of the song.

The rainwater shower-head was large and it sent a vast amount of water cascading down. It was one thing Juliana loved about Valentina’s apartment. Valentina quickly learned that Juliana enjoyed taking very long, very hot showers. She said it relaxed her, that it was her place of solitude, a way to wash all her problems away. Valentina enjoyed joining Juliana for showers, but the blistering heat her girlfriend endured was often too much for Valentina to handle. This morning, however, Valentina was willing to grin and bear it. They had a big day ahead of them, and she wanted to start the day off right. 

She didn’t want to scare her girlfriend, so she stood a few feet away and waited for Juliana to open her eyes. After Juliana finished rinsing her hair, she moved out of the direct line of running water and jumped slightly as she opened her eyes and saw Valentina standing equally as naked in her space. After the initial shock of seeing Valentina standing in front of her unexpectedly wore off, Juliana smirked at her. 

Without saying a word, Juliana turned and her right hand gripped onto the silver lever that controlled the water temperature and pressure. Valentina watched Juliana turn the lever to the right slightly, her heart constricting in her chest with the thoughtfulness of the action. She didn’t wait for Juliana to turn back around. She stepped forward under the water and pressed herself firmly against Juliana’s back, her left arm encircling her stomach. She closed her eyes as the water flowed over her body and she reveled in the warmth and slickness of the body against hers. She noticed the temperature of the water slowly change, changing from boiling hot to a more manageable heat as Juliana adjusted the lever for Valentina’s sake.

Still holding onto the black object with her right hand, she collected Juliana’s hair and pushed it all to one side, exposing soft skin on her left shoulder. Valentina dragged her lips from Juliana’s neck to her shoulder and back again before following the same pattern, this time kissing and nipping her way along the warm flesh. Juliana raised her arm, her fingers weaving through Valentina’s wet hair. 

Valentina’s hand pressed into Juliana’s hip and she pushed her body more flush into her backside. She wanted her as close as possible, desire racing through her veins. 

Juliana gasped and turned her head to the side. “What’s gotten into you this morning?” 

“Are you complaining?” Valentina retorted with another, slightly harder bite into Juliana’s shoulder. 

Juliana hissed before replying. “No.”

“Put your hands on the wall in front of you.” Valentina demanded, shifting both women so they were no longer under the direct line of water, and so Juliana could do as she was told. 

A small groan came from Juliana as she followed her instruction, her palms pressing into the cold, wet tiles in front of her. 

Valentina’s free hand softly grazed the skin along Juliana’s stomach and sides, no certain pattern to her movements. She continued to kiss the expanse of wet skin in front of her as she tugged lightly on the short hairs at Juliana’s apex. Her right arm then joined her left and wrapped around Juliana, her breasts pushing more fully against Juliana’s back. Without looking, she pressed the button on the small black object in her hand and heard it buzz to life. Juliana’s neck stretched as she looked down, the vertebra in her spine exposed through the skin. Valentina pressed the vibrator against the hairs she had just pulled against, smiling against Juliana’s back. 

Valentina waited a moment to hear an objection from her girlfriend, but heard nothing. She took this as encouragement and began slowly moving the bullet to the inside of Juliana’s thighs and around her center, teasing her. Her left hand found Juliana’s breast and she massaged it softly, squeezing and rolling her nipple the way she knew Juliana liked. She continued her slow movements of the bullet, building up Juliana’s desire. 

They had used different sex toys in the 10 months they had been together, but they hadn’t used the simple black vibrator in a while. 

Valentina felt Juliana move against her, her feet shifting so her legs were spread wider. 

“Val, stop torturing me.” 

Valentina was surprised by how wrecked Juliana sounded. It sent her own pang of desire down her spine, wetness coating her inner thighs. She pressed her hips flush against Juliana again and positioned the bullet back on the short hairs. She took one more moment to press herself more fully against Juliana before adjusting the bullet, pressing down. 

Juliana’s reaction was instant. Her head whipped back to rest on Valentina’s shoulder. Her eyes were clamped shut and her mouth fell agape. “Jesus.” She panted as the spray of water from the nearby shower rained down on her face. Valentina started lightly, moving the bullet in a circular motion with minimal pressure. She wanted Juliana to get used to the feeling, working her up to last longer. She knows if she presses harder and moves faster, she could have Juliana in a writhing mess within minutes. But she wanted to drag it out, to enjoy watching this beautiful woman come apart for her. 

Valentina nibbled on Juliana’s ear and continued massaging her breast as her other hand continued pleasuring Juliana’s clit. Gradually, Valentina increased the pressure and it didn’t take long for Juliana to drop her head again. Valentina took the change in movement to swap hands, her left hand taking control of the bullet while her right hand moved to squeeze Juliana’s backside. She wasn’t sure why, but her rounded ass sent Valentina wild. Juliana had certainly used this to her advantage on a few occasions, buying jeans and other clothing that really emphasized that aspect of her body. Valentina could never help herself, ridding Juliana of those items of clothing as soon as they were in the privacy of the apartment. 

Her hand then continued lower, reaching between her legs before finding what she was looking for. She teased at Juliana’s entrance, her fingers collecting the wetness as the bullet continued to press against her clit.

“Fuck, Val.” Juliana moaned as she pressed two fingers slowly inside her. 

Valentina could see Juliana’s fingers almost turn white against the tile with the pressure of holding herself up. Valentina went back to kissing Juliana’s shoulder and back, pressing into whatever warm skin she could find. Her fingers started a slow rhythm, moving in and out with precision. It didn’t take long for Juliana to complain. 

“Faster, Val. Fuck me faster.”

Valentina did as she was told. Her fingers sped up and with it, Juliana’s moans became louder. She could feel Juliana getting close. Her legs were beginning to shake and her walls were tightening around her fingers. She thrust up as far as she could go and began a curling motion while simultaneously pressing harder against her clit with the bullet. 

Juliana’s whole body shuddered with the intensity of the orgasm, her moans slowly turning into deep breaths as Valentina slowly removed the pressure of the bullet and removed her fingers. Her fingers found the button of the vibrator and turned it off before tossing it to the ground, turning Juliana to face her and holding her close. She could feel Juliana’s chest heaving between them, so she continued to press delicate kisses along her face while she came down from her high. 

“Jesus, Val.” Juliana croaked, still almost breathless. 

Valentina shifted back, still holding Juliana but enough so she could see her. “I just wanted to show how appreciative I am of you agreeing to come with me tonight.”

Juliana narrowed her eyes playfully. “I was always going with you. You’re my girlfriend. Who else would you take?”

Valentina gave Juliana her most seductive look. “I’m sure I could find someone else if you aren’t interested.” 

Juliana’s eyebrows shot up and her chin dipped. “Really?”

Valentina shrugged her shoulders. “If you said no, I think I could find some eligible bachelor to escort me.” A playful smile tugged at her lips. She enjoyed the teasing, the push and pull between them. 

Juliana took in a deep breath as she regarded the woman holding her, the warm water still smattering against their skin, cocooning them. She cocked her head to the side and pushed forwards, spinning Valentina so her back was now pressed against the cool of the tile. Valentina’s eyes went wide as Juliana’s eyes darkened again, a devilish grin on her lips. 

“Would your eligible bachelor make you feel like this?” She uttered as she bent and wrapped her lips around Valentina’s nipple. Valentina’s previous desire roared to life again as the beautiful woman she called her girlfriend flicked and licked at her nipples before her tongue traced south and dipped into her navel. Her knees hit the ground and just before Juliana licked into Valentina’s center, she looked up. Valentina’s breath caught in her throat as the beauty below her gazed at her with immense longing and devotion. Water droplets were caught in her eyelashes and her skin was flushed, a beautiful pink arising beneath her complexion. 

Valentina’s teeth grazed her bottom lip as Juliana’s tongue finally touched her entrance, a broad lick making it’s way to her clit. She continued looking down between her breasts to watch Juliana tend to Valentina’s pleasure. After a few testing flicks of the tongue, Juliana pushed one of Valentina’s legs up and over her shoulder, providing better access. Her hand found it’s way into the wet locks of Juliana’s hair, guiding her to where Valentina wanted her most. 

Valentina’s head smacked lightly against the tile as she felt Juliana’s tongue enter her, her free hand clutching at nothing beside her. Her tether to reality began slipping as Juliana pulled her clit into her mouth and licked and sucked softly. Stars appeared behind her eyes when Juliana plunged three fingers up into Valentina. 

“God. Yes.” Valentina blew into the steamy bathroom, her hand keeping Juliana in place on her clit. “Suck it harder.” 

The combination of Juliana’s fingers and mouth on her was soon too much, her thighs trapping Juliana as her body was wracked with pleasure. She cried out Juliana’s name into the space as spots lit up behind her eyelids. Juliana’s arm held her in place as she retreated, slowly placing Valentina’s leg back down on the ground and standing before her. Valentina opened her eyes to see Juliana wiping her mouth. She stepped backwards into the direct stream of hot water and ran her hands over her face and through her hair, before stepping back out, a smirk on her face. 

Valentina pushed forward and wrapped Juliana up in a hug, their bodies slippery against each other. 

“No, I don’t think anyone else could ever make me feel what you make me feel.” She whispered. 

****

They finished their shower, Juliana escaping not long after their heart rates settled, leaving Valentina to wash her hair and prepare herself for the day ahead. 

Valentina brushed her still damp hair and threw on a grey sweater and her most comfortable pair of shorts. A mouth-watering smell struck her as she opened the bedroom door and made her way down the hallway to the kitchen. Juliana was standing in a fluffy robe by the stove top, her hair also still damp. Music played lightly from the speaker underneath the television and Juliana hummed to herself as she cooked. 

Valentina looked around the space with a smile on her face. Juliana had agreed to finally move in with her two months ago, and it was the happiest she could ever remember being. She had barely thought of having a drink since Juliana had agreed to be her girlfriend, and everything seemed to fall into place after that.  
Valentina was surprised it took Juliana so long to agree to move into the spacious apartment with her. Juliana said she wanted to have her own space for a while longer, but she spent most of her time at Valentina’s anyway. Eventually, Valentina persuaded her to give up the lease on her studio apartment and move her remaining items to Valentina’s. 

Finally, it felt like this space was truly theirs. Pictures of themselves and their families were scattered around the area. Valentina didn’t own many kitchen basics, so Juliana moved in with all of her equipment. Juliana’s favorite armchair made it in the cull and sat beside the large L-shaped couch. It didn’t really suit the theme of the space, but Valentina didn’t mind, as long as Juliana stayed. 

The centerpiece from the special edition Pride Month magazine was framed and sat on the side table next to the front door. Juliana and Valentina decided to model and interview for the Carvajal Group’s magazine 9 months ago, essentially coming out to the wider public. After discussing their options with Valentina’s family, they had decided to first have that conversation with their friends and family, before posting it on their social media accounts. The following week, their interview and photos were published, alongside other LGBTI icons, in a special edition magazine. They were ready for any backlash they may receive, and for a while, their lives were pretty crazy. Valentina had to hire another security guard/driver for Juliana, much to her own displeasure, to escort her to and from work and anywhere else she needed to go. They didn’t venture into public very often due to the media circus surrounding their relationship, spending their time split between the office, the foundation and their apartments. The paparazzi were relentless, doing whatever they could to snap a picture of Mexico’s newest couple. The women received some hate mail and the expected criticism from close-minded people, but for the most part, the reaction had been overwhelmingly positive. 

They had no regrets over their decisions and stood by one another through it all. If anything, it only made their relationship even stronger. Their families were supportive and it made the world of difference to both women. 

Valentina kissed Juliana’s cheek before sitting down at the island bench, in front of two places Juliana had already set. 

“Perfect timing. Breakfast is ready.” 

Juliana placed a plate stacked high with pancakes down on the bench in front of Valentina. Her eyes widened as she took in the steaming pancakes before her. She licked her lips as she poured them both a glass of orange juice as Juliana took her place next to her. She collected two pancakes for herself, dished the same for Juliana, before dousing her own pancakes in maple syrup. 

“Babe, you’re already sweet enough. Surely you don’t need that much syrup.” Juliana said as she shook her head, watching the pancakes now basically swimming on Valentina’s plate. 

Valentina frowned at Juliana with a pout on her face, placing the bottle back on the table. She cut her pancakes without looking, keeping her gaze trained on Juliana. The dark haired woman just laughed when Valentina tried to place the soaking pancake in her mouth, making a mess of her face. Juliana leant forward and kissed all around Valentina’s mouth, cleaning up the syrup dripping on her chin and lips. 

“You’re ridiculous.” Juliana declared as she licked her own lips. As she pulled away, Valentina moved quickly, her hand finding the back of Juliana’s head and holding her in place. Valentina’s lips found Juliana’s and she kissed her deeply, taking Juliana by surprise. 

When Valentina pulled back, a smile graced her face. “But you love me anyway.” 

Juliana mirrored the smile, the flavor of maple syrup now stronger on her tongue. “Yes, Val. I do love you.”

************

“Babe, can you please zip me?” Juliana called out. 

The hair and make up teams had just left, and all that was left was for the two women to get dressed.

“I’ll be right there.” Valentina replied, her hand covering the phone to not disrupt the call. She was able to finish with Luana within a minute and pushed the bedroom door open. She stopped dead in her tracks when she took in the woman standing in front of the tall mirrors at the entrance to their walk-through closet. 

The silver dress she was wearing hugged her body perfectly. The spaghetti straps crisscrossed over her back before meeting with the material low on her back. The floor length gown sparkled in the light, the deep V neckline highlighting the curve of her modest breasts perfectly.

“Wow, Juls.” She breathed, talking slow steps towards her. “You look amazing.” 

“I’ll never stand a chance standing next to you, morrita.” She replied, her brown eyes shining as their eyes met in the reflection of the mirror. Her hands pulled at a zip on her hip. “I don’t know why they put the most ridiculous zips on these dresses. Can you please help me?” 

Valentina’s hands rested softly on Juliana’s shoulders. She placed a single kiss on the exposed skin on Juliana’s neck before moving to her side. She grasped the zip while Juliana held the fabric above the zip. Together, they had Juliana’s dress done up in a couple of seconds. Juliana turned and wrapped her arms around Valentina’s shoulders. 

“Thank you.” She whispered before pressing a kiss against Valentina’s lips. 

They separated and Juliana bent down to pick up her heels. As she stood, she finally took in Valentina’s outfit. The deep red complimented her lips perfectly, the entire cut of the dress made it seem as if it was custom made for her. Valentina felt Juliana’s hands brush through her hair, pushing it back over her shoulder. “You’re beautiful, Val.” She whispered. “How did I get so lucky?” 

Valentina offered her a lopsided grin and took her hand. The knowledge that Juliana felt the same way as she did, felt as deeply and intensely about their connection, made her heart beat faster in her chest. It wasn’t something thought she could ever get used to, the way those brown eyes bore into hers, as if they could read her very soul. 

“C’mon, we’ve got to go.” Valentina led Juliana to the front door where they pulled on their shoes and added the finishing touches to their outfits. The ride to the hotel was relatively short, and they spent the time in the back seat of the SUV giggling and touching, almost as if they were teenagers again. The thought of attending the second annual Bright Spark Foundation Ball as their first official public outing together excited them. They were sick of being cooped up in the apartment instead of out exploring the city like they did when they first met. After discussing it at length, they decided together that they weren’t going to do it anymore. The press had moved onto more interesting topics and they hoped they would be mostly left to their own devices. So this event was important in two ways now. Not only was it a huge celebration in everything the foundation and Valentina achieved over the past year, but it was also an excellent platform for the two women to start the rest of their lives together, embracing their relationship and interacting with the public instead of avoiding it. 

The SUV pulled up and Valentina grasped Juliana’s hand, placing a kiss on the back of it. “Are you ready?” She asked honestly. She knew that if Juliana suddenly felt uncomfortable or scared, she would tell the driver to take them back to the apartment and she would come back and do this alone. Juliana’s safety and comfort was her number one priority. But all of those thoughts quickly dissipated as she gazed into sparkling brown in front of her. Her eyes were alight and her white teeth sparkled between a splitting grin. 

“I’m so ready. Let’s do this.” She nodded. 

“Together?” Valentina asked, her tongue poking between her teeth. 

“Always together.” Juliana winked. 

They shared a quick kiss before Valentina turned and tapped on the window. Alirio opened the door and quick flashes of light momentarily blinded Valentina, the clicks of cameras and shouts of photographers overtook her senses. It took her a moment and a gulp of nerves to steady herself before she stepped out onto the plush red carpet that lined the sidewalk and all the way up the stone steps to the entrance of the hotel. Once Valentina had two feet firmly on the ground, she turned and held her hand for Juliana. Her warmth all-encompassing as Juliana held on tight while climbing elegantly out of the SUV. 

A cacophony of cheers and squeals surrounded them as the two women stepped forward and the SUV peeled away from the curb. They stood, hand in hand, as dozens of photographers snapped their photos and various journalists called their names from behind a rope. On the other side of the red carpet, behind an identical rope, stood members of the public, excitedly calling their names. 

Valentina glanced at Juliana who stood smiling, if not a little dumbfounded. She squeezed her hand as a sign of checking in, and Juliana gazed up at her. She nodded her head slightly and Valentina’s nerves settled a little, knowing Juliana was with her on this, standing by her side. She took a deep breath and stepped forward, walking up the red carpet and towards the hoards of people crying out at them. 

It took half an hour for the two women to reach the entrance to the hotel. They stopped and answered questions for a couple of journalists, posing for photos and greeting the people from the public who had come out to see them and the other celebrities in attendance that night. The reception was positive, with most people curious about how they met and what their relationship was like. They were coy with their responses, enjoying their privacy but understanding the need for gossip columnists to report on something. 

They were met by Guille and Renata, as well as Eva and Mateo at the hotel entrance. They hugged them all, their smiles huge, a feeling of anticipation buzzing around them. As they walked across the lobby towards the large ballroom as a group, Valentina felt a fullness in her chest. She looked around at her family, at her siblings and their partners, at Juliana by her side, and tears built and threatened to escape. 

Juliana stiffened next to her, her hand pulling at Valentina, encouraging her to stop. The brown eyes before her were concerned, her face scrunched up in worry.

“Babe, what’s wrong?” Juliana asked quietly, her thumb stroking her cheek in a caring gesture. 

Valentina chuckled once, swallowing the lump in her throat. Juliana’s face softened.

“I’m just happy.” She whispered, leaning forward to rest her forehead on Juliana’s. 

She felt Juliana’s body shake in silent laughter and relief, her hands resting on either side of Valentina’s neck. She pulled back and collected Juliana’s hand in hers again. She pressed a quick kiss to Juliana’s lips and turned her body towards the entrance of the ballroom. “C’mon, let’s go mingle.”

They rejoined Valentina’s family members and entered the ballroom, instantly thrown into conversations with potential donators, current exhibitionists and foundation employees. Juliana stayed loyal to Valentina, not wavering far from her side. They were a team, and Valentina was proud to have Juliana on her arm, introducing her with confidence as her girlfriend. 

Eventually, Valentina felt Luana tug on her elbow. She excused herself from a group of authors and pulled Juliana with her to the side. 

“I’m sorry to break up your conversation, but it’s time for your speech.” Luana said, gesturing to the stage. “You guys are adorable, by the way!” 

Valentina smiled as she pulled her folded speech out of her clutch. Juliana took the clutch off Valentina and wished her luck. Valentina winked at her girlfriend and walked steadily up to the steps behind Luana. 

Luana tapped on the microphone a couple of times and cleared her throat in an attempt to get the audiences attention. The general chatter quickly died down and Luana spoke clearly, her voice booming around the space. 

“Good evening and welcome to the second annual Bright Spark Foundation Ball.” The crowd erupted with cheers and applause, and Luana leant back and smiled as the noise rang around the room. Valentina looked to her left and found Juliana standing towards the front of the crowd with the other members of her family. As the applause faded, Luana continued. 

“We hope you all have a fantastic night tonight and take some time to appreciate some of the talent in the exhibitions around the room. But for now, it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you the Foundations creator, Valentina Carvajal.”

Cheers and deafening applause once again filled the room as Valentina stepped carefully up onto the stage. She unfolded the paper onto the lectern and looked out over the crowd, smiling politely as the clapping eventually subsided. She licked her lips before opening her mouth to speak. 

“Good evening. I would like to start by thanking everyone for coming here tonight. You are amazing and this foundation could not survive without your generous donations, time and effort. So thank you.” She gestured to the crowd, flashed her most charming smile and joined in with the next enthusiastic round of applause. She cleared her throat and continued. “This past year had been full of ups and downs for me. But the person I must thank the most is the woman who has changed my life in all of the best ways.” Her eyes found Juliana’s in the crowd and she smiled shyly down at her. “Juliana Valdez, my love. You have helped me to realize things about myself and my life I stopped believing in long ago. You helped me to trust in myself again, to understand that there is more to life than just surviving. Your light and your love have pushed my boundaries, have awoken my soul, and for that, I will love you with my whole being for as long as you let me.”

The room was silent as she finished, but Valentina didn’t even notice. She had only one thought, and that was how excited she was for her future, for the life she and Juliana would build together. She looked down at the woman she loved and could see the same affection and adoration reciprocated. Suddenly, the loudest cheering and clapping echoed around the large room. Valentina continued smiling down at her girlfriend and her family, her heart pounding in her chest with the overwhelming love and appreciation she had for them. 

She stepped back from the lectern and waved at the crowd of people before scrambling as carefully as possible down the steps. Just before she reached the last one, a hand took her own, steadying her. She didn’t have to guess whose hand it was, the familiar warmth sending shivers down her spine. She stepped down to ground level as Juliana moved in front of her, a sheen of tears across her eyes. They had spoken about not engaging in public displays of affection to keep the tabloids quiet, because they didn’t want to give them anything to twist or gossip or fabricate. But Valentina couldn’t help it. She threw caution to the wind and pulled Juliana close, sweeping her up in a passionate kiss. They kept it classy, pulling away before deepening their embrace, resting their foreheads together and breathing in the same air. 

“Did you mean it?” Juliana asked. 

Valentina chuckled lightly and pulled back, losing herself in delicious brown depths. “All of it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've made it this far, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it!

**Author's Note:**

> Well. I really don't know what i'm doing here. I can't control myself! My idea was for a small story and I've just written an outline for 10 chapters... whyyyyyy?  
> My aim here is to practice writing smaller chapters (I felt like I got a little carried away with Leap), but who knows if i'll be able to stick to it. I just want to contribute to the fandom, so I hope you enjoy the read. Please drop us a comment if you have any feedback :)


End file.
